COLLINS  &  SESNON, 

Book  Binders, 
41  Liberty  St.  N.  Y. 


lEx  Hthris 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


'  Tort  nlemv  lAm/lireUm-  of  Je  Manha-tarus 


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Because  it  has  been  said 
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Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gii  i  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


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http://archive.org/details/annualmessageofhOObroo 


ANNUAL  MESSAGE 

OF 

HOIST. 


JAMES  HOWELL,  JR., 


MAYOR  OF  BROOKLYN, 


BOARD  OF  ALDERMEN, 


J.AJSTTTA.RY  7,  1878, 


TOGETHER    WITH  THE 


Reports  of  the  Various  Departments 
of  the  City  Government. 


BROOKLYN  : 
PRINTED    FOK    THE  CORPORATION 
1878. 


In  Common  Council,  ) 
Monday,  January  7,  1878.  f 

Resolved,  That  the  Message  of  his  Honor  the  Mayor  be  printed 
as  a  Document  of  the  Board,  and  that  fifteen  hundred  (1,500) 
extra  copies  be  printed  in  pamphlet  form  for  the  use  of  the  Mayor 
and  heads  of  departments — 1,000  copies  of  which  shall  be  printed 
in  the  English  language,  and  500  in  German. 

Wm.  Gr.  Bishop, 

City  Clerk. 


ANNUAL  MESSAGE 


Mayor's  Office,  City  Mali,,  i 
Brooklyn,  Jan.  7,  1878.  \ 

To  the  Honorable  the  Board  of  Aldermen  : 
Gentlemen  : 

It  is  made  my  first  duty,  under  the  city  charter,  to  submit  to 
you  ua  general  statement''  of  the  affairs  of  our  municipal  gov- 
ernment, "with  such  recommendations"  as  may  seem  to  me 
proper. 

In  undertaking  to  perform  this  duty,  permit  me  at  the  outset 
to  say  that  I-have  been  intrusted  with  the  office  of  Mayor  by  mv 
fellow  citizens  at  a  time  when  very  general  embarrassment  ancl 
distress  exist  among  all  classes  who  are  called  upon  to  bear  the 
burdens  of  government.  In  becoming  a  candidate  for  the  suf- 
Irage  of  my  fellow  citizens  I  pledged  myself  emphatically  and 
distinctly  to  use  all  the  influence  and  powers  of  my  office  to  re- 
duce the  expenditure  of  the  city  government,  to  the  end  that  our 
rate  of  local  taxation  shall  be  iessened ;  our  property  relieved  of 
some  of  the  burdens  which  lessen  its  value;  and  our  laboring 
masses  made  secure  of  as  large  a  portion  of  their  earnings  for 
themselves  as  is  possible.  In  other  words,  that  our  local  public 
burdens  shall  be  as  light  as  it  is  possible  to  make  them. 

PRACTICAL  REFORM  NOW  IN  ORDER. 

I  think  I  am  justified  in  saving  that  the  time  has  come  in 
Brooklyn  when  those  who  are  honestly  desirous  of  enforcing 
economy  in  public  affairs  can  address  themselves  to  ihe  business 
ot  the  present,  and  to  making  the  future  better  than  the  past. 
From  the  era  of  extravagance  and  prodigality  which  has  closed, 
I  trust,  Brooklyn  has  suffered  in  common  with  all  other  portions 
of  our  country.  All  that  can  be  usefully  done  in  exposing  past 
official  tergiversations  has,  perhaps,  been  attempted  or  performed. 
There  has  been,  I  venture  to  suggest,  too  much  time  occupied  by 
those[)who  claim  to  be  actuated  solely  by  public  spirit,  in  dis 


4 


cussing  the  official  business  of  the  past,  and  in  exposing  whatever 
grievances  which  may  still  remain.  We  are  called  upon  now,  in 
my  judgment,  to  make  a  united  and  a  vigorous  effort  to  do  some- 
thing— to  accomplish  something — to  effect  something  practical — 
for  while  discussion  and  exposure  of  past  delinquencies  have  had 
their  use,  before  any  real  reform  can  be  effected,  something  more 
needs  to  be  done.  In  the  practical  ends  I  have  set  before  myself 
I  count  upon  your  co-operation,  and  I  invoke  that  of  my  fellow 
citizens  of  all  parties,  to  the  end  that  the  welfare  of  Brooklyn 
may  be  promoted.  If  we  act  together,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
any  sinister  obstacles  which  may  be  placed  in  our  way,  either  at 
home  or  before  the  State  Legislature,  can  be  easily  brushed  aside. 

THE  HEADS  OF  DEPARTMENTS  SHOULD  COME  I'N  WITH  THE  MAYOR. 

I  think  I  am  expressing  the  wishes  of  the  great  majority  of 
my  fellow-citizens  when  I  say — not  as  a  personal  cause  of  com- 
plaint or  irritation,  but  as  a  statement  of  wise  and  permanent 
public  policy — that  the  powers  exercised  by  the  Chief  Magis- 
trate of  the  city  should  be  enlarged  and  so  clearly  defined,  that 
he  shall  be  in  a  position  to  exercise  all  the  powers  of  his  office 
from  the  day  on  which  he  assumes  the  responsibilities  of  his  po- 
sition until  the  time  comes  for  returning  the  trusts  reposed  in  him 
to  the  people  from  whom  he  obtains  them.  No  argument  in  this 
instance  is  as  strong  as  a  mere  statement  of  facts.  The  Mayor  of 
Brooklyn  is  assumed  to  be  intrusted  with  the  general  supervision 
of  all  branches  of  the  city  government.  For  the  general  con- 
duct of  the  local  government  he  ought  to  be  held  responsible, 
and  he  ought  not  to  be  even  allowed  the  opportunity  of  evading 
his  responsibility.  To  this  end  each  succeeding  Mayor  ought  to 
have  the  power  of  selecting  at  the  beginning  of  his  term  all  the 
officials  whose  appointment  is  intrusted  to  the  Mayor.  It  is  ob 
viousty  unfair  to  hold  a  Chief  Magistrate  to  accountability  for 
the  conduct  of  agents  selected  by  another,  and  over  whom  he  can 
exercise  only  a  very  remote  control.  It  is  especially  so  in  a  bu- 
siness into  which  political  differences,  and  the  personal  antagon- 
isms growing  out  of  them,  very  largely  enter.  The  Mayor  is 
given  the  power  to  appoint  the  heads  of  the  several  departments, 
but  he  is  not  permitted,  ordinarily,  to  exercise  this  power  until  he 
has  been  in  office  one  year  and  four  months,  and  when  he  has 
but  eight  months  more  to  serve.  My  immediate  predecessor  was 
not  enabled  to  make  the  recent  astonishing  changes  in  the  de- 
partments until  about  two  months  prior  to  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  office,  and  while  the  people  were  in  the  act  of  electing 
his  successor,  so  that  the  administration  of  Mayor  Hunter  con- 


5 


tinued  in  a  certain  and  a  large  sense  during  the  term  of  Mayor 
Schroeder,  and  the  administration  of  Mayor  Schroeder  extends 
in  like  manner  upon  the  term  of  the  present  incumbent.  I  in- 
tend to  cast  no  reflection  upon  the  officials  recently  appointed 
when  I  say  that  I  cannot  even  expect  from  them  that  sympathy, 
attachment  and  co-operation  which  the  head  of  a  government 
has  a  right  to  count  on  from  those  serving  with  him.  Many  of 
these  gentlemen  exercised  their  unquestioned  right  in  preferring 
another  candidate  than  myself  for  the  office  of  Mayor,  and  it 
would  be  even  strange  if  they  should  labor  earnestly  to  show  by 
the  result  that  they  made  no  error  in  judgment  in  doing  so.  It 
must  be  evident  to  all  intelligent  citizens  that  the  harmony  so 
necessary  to  succeed  in  the  conduct  of  a  government  cannot  ex- 
ist under  such  a  state  of  affairs  as  now  obtains. 

THE  MAYOR  AND  THE  APPOINTING  POWER 

I  think,  also,  that  the  power  claimed  for  the  office  of  Mayor, 
should  not  be  divided.  The  fact  that  the  division  of  this  power 
so  frequently — by  the  mere  negation  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
— deprives  the  Mayor  of  his  share  of  it,  is  a  sufficient  reason  for 
intrusting  to.  the  Mayor  the  full  right  of  appointing  the  subordi- 
nates who  are  to  serve  under  him,  and  with  whom  he  is,  or  ought 
to  be,  brought  in  daily  personal  and  official  intercourse.  Both 
my  immediate  predecessors  have  publicly  complained  that  they 
have  kept  heads  of  departments  in  office  whom  they  distrusted 
and  that  they  actually  joined  in  appointing  heads  of  departments, 
whose  usefulness  they  destroyed  in  advance  when  they  publicly 
admitted  that  thev  regarded  their  own  appointees  with  only  a 
narrow  measure  of  favor  or  confidence.  Such  a  state  of  affairs 
is  intolerable  and  disgraceful,  and  I  ask  your  co-operation  in  ob- 
taining the  legislation  necessary  to  bring  it  to  an  immediate  end. 
I  have  reason  for  believing  that  we  will  have  the  support,  too.  of 
a  great  majority  of  our  constituents  of  both  parties,  for  on  the 
principle  here  involved  some  of  the  wisest  representatives  of 
each  party  have  agreed,  in  making,  through  the  late  Municipal 
Commission,  a  report  of  a  form  of  municipal  government  which 
is  designated  to  be  general  and  to  be  permanent  in  the  cities  of 
our  State. 

CONSOLIDATION  OF  THE  DEPARTMENTS  RECOMMENDED. 

A  creditable  effort  has  been  made  during  the  year  to  effect  a 
reduction  of  local  public  expenditure  by  a  general  reduction  in 
the  salaries  of  local  officers,  and  especially  of  heads  of  depart- 
ments.   This  effort  was  measurably  successful,  and  those  en- 


6 


gaged  in  it  deserve  commendation,  because  they  are  entitled  to 
the  credit  of  initiating  what  I  trust  we  shall  be  able  to  refer 
back  to  as  an  era  of  practical  local  reform.  The  necessity  of  the 
times  and  the  demands  of  our  taxpayers  require  far  more  sweep- 
ing and  radical  measures  looking  to  a  reduction  of  municipal 
expenditure.  I  am  satisfied  the  structure  of  our  city  government 
can  be  made  more  simple  and  greatly  less  expensive  than  it  now 
is,  while  its  efficiency  will  be  at  the  same  time  augmented. 

The  number  of  our  offices  and  the  multitude  of  our  officers 
can  and  should  be  reduced.  The  variety  of  officers  now  em- 
ployed for  the  performance  of  the  same  kind  of  services  leads 
not  merely  to  the  inconvenience  of  the  people  having  business 
with  the  city,  but  is  the  cause  of  wholly  unnecessary  labor  and 
wholly  unnecessary  expense  to  the  city  itself.  In  now  resolving 
upon  a  unification  and  a  simplification  of  the  business  of  our 
local  government,  we  will  be  doing  what  every  business  man 
does  in  his  own  affairs,  while  we  will  be  but  following  the  ex- 
ample long  ago  set  us  by  New  York,  Boston,  Philadelphia  and 
other  cities. 

RADICAL    MEASURES — THE  ABOLITION   OF    FOUR  DEPARTMENTS 

RECOMMENDED. 

I  invoke  the  aid  of  all  intrusted  with  local  official  responsibili- 
ty in  securing  legislation  which  will  enable  Brooklyn  to  wipe 
out  altogether  the  following  departments :  that  of  Auditor,  Col- 
lector of  Taxes,  Eegistrar  of  Arrears,  of  Taxes,  and  Registrar  of 
Water  Department.  This  can  be  done,  and  it  has  been  done  in 
the  government  of  all  the  cities  I  have  named.  It  is  absurd  that 
a  person  having  a  bill  against  the  city  for  work  done  or  material 
furnished  should  be  obliged,  after  procuring  the  certification  of 
the  department  having  the  matter  in  charge,  to  wait  upon  the 
Auditor  for  his  audit;  upon  the  Comptroller  for  a  warrant;  upon 
the  Mayor  for  his  signature ;  upon  the  City  Clerk  for  a  counter 
signature  ;  upon  the  City  Treasurer  for  an  indorsement,  and  upon 
the  bank  for  his  money— a  complicated  process,  consuming  in 
official  delays  at  least  a' day  and  a  half  in  the  mere  business  of 
paying  a  bill.  It  is  in  a  degree  equally  inconvenient  and  absurd 
for  a  person  who  wishes  to  pay  off  his  taxes  or  assessments  to 
call  upon  the  Tax  Collector  for  the  account  of  his  current  taxes ; 
upon  the  Registrar  of  Arrears  for  arrears,  and  upon  the  Board  of 
City  Works  for  his  bills  for  water  rates — and  to  pay  these  charg- 
es at  different  seasons  of  the  year.  '  In  this  way  official  labor  and 
public  expense  are  unnecessarily  duplicated  and  increased.  The 
Auditor's  records  of  audit  are  already  kept  in  the  department 


7 


which  incurs  the  debt,  and  are  repeated,  in  a  greater  or  less  de- 
gree, by  the  Comptroller,  Mayor  and  Treasurer.  A  large  force  in 
the  Comptrollers  office  is  engaged  in  keeping  books  precisely 
similar  to  those  kept  in  the  office  of  the  Collector  of  Taxes  and 
Assessments,  and  it  is  very  clear  that  if  the  Tax  Collector  conti- 
nued to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  Registrar  of  Arrears — as  was 
formerly  the  case,  instead  of  as  now,  annually  transferring  those 
duties — the  eighteen  clerks  in  the  last-named  department,  might 
be  reduced  to  one-third  the  number.  There  could  be  no  good 
reason  given  why  the  water  rates  should  not  be  collected  at  the 
same  time  and  with  the  general  taxes,  and  thus  we  can  get  rid 
of  the  duplicated  Tax  Department  known  as  the  office  of  liegis- 
trar  of  the  Water  Department.  This  bureau  can  be  wholly  wiped 
out  with  absolute  convenience  to  the  public,  and  with  a  saving 
to  the  taxpayers  of  many  thousands  of  dollars  per  annum. 

HOW  THE  LOCAL  CIRCUMLOCUTION  OFFICE  WORKS. 

The  folly  and  extravagance  of  this  duplicating,  complex  and 
extravagant  system  have  long  been  manifest  to  those  who  have 
given  their  attention  to  the  subject.  In  Boston,  Philadelphia 
and  New  York  our  system — which  was  that  of  a  village  in  its 
inception — has  long  been  abolished,  and  the  simpler  system 
which  has  been  substituted  has  met  with  unqualified  approval 
and  success. 

The  only  plausible  pretext  ever  advanced  in  defense  of  our 
present  system  is  based  on  the  idea  that  a  variety  of  officials  acts 
as  checks  and  balances  upon  each  other.  A  simplification  of  our 
system  of  local  government  need  not  involve  the  abandonment 
of  all  needed  safeguards  against  conception  or  fraud.  In  the 
event  of  the  proposed  changes,  all  claims  against  the  city  will  be 
subject  to  the  inspection  of  the  department  in  charge,  and  of  the 
Comptroller  and  of  the  Mayor,  besides  having,  in  the  first  place, 
to  be  authorized  by  the  Common  Council.  Our  present  system, 
such  as  it  is,  has  demonstrated  its  own  worthlessness  in  prevent- 
ing official  tergiversation.  The  defalcations  in  our  treasury  de- 
partment, and  the  malfeasances  in  our  tax  department  and  else- 
where occurred  undetected  under  it.  It  was  the  application  of 
the  adjunct  of  the  other  system — the  employment  from  time  to 
time  of  outside  expert  accountants,  as  occasion  may  seem  to  de- 
mand— which  brought  to  light  the  official  delinquencies  and 
crimes  referred  to.  The  folly  of  the  present  system  and  the  de- 
sirability of  that  which  I  favor  as  a  substitute  for  it,  was  thus 
demonstrated  in  our  own  case.  For  these  reasons,  and  following 
the  example  of  other  cities  1  have  named,  I  recommend  that  the 


s 


administration  of  our  whole  fiscal  system  shall  be  confined  to 
one  department.  1,  therefore,  ask  your  co-operation  and  that  of 
my  fellow  citizens  who  are  in  earnest  in  demanding  economy  and 
reform,  in  securing  for  Brooklyn  such  legislation  as  will  enable 
us  to  abolish  altogether  the  Departments  of  Collection  of  Taxes 
and  Assessments,  of  Arrears,  of  Audit,  and  of  the  Bureau  for 
collection  of  water  rates  in  the  Department  of  City  Works,  and 
to  intrust  all  the  duties  now  performed  by  them  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  Finance. 

A  SAVING  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  PER  ANNUM. 

In  the  extinction  of  unnecessary,  duplicated  service  alone  these 
changes. will  directly  reduce  the  annual  salary  account  of  the  city 
fifty  six  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  and  I. confidently  believe  it 
will  in  the  aggregate  effect  a  saving  to  the  city  of  not  less  than 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  Of  course,  the  Comp- 
troller or  head  of  the  Department  of  Finance  will  be  intrusted 
with  larger  duties — but  to  a  less  extent  than  will  at  first  sight 
appear,  and  some  of  the  offices  abolished  will  re-appear  as  subor- 
dinates of  this  department — but  all  duplicate  work  will  be  dis- 
pensed with,  the  number  of  officials  will  be  signally  reduced,  a 
city  creditor  or  debtor  can  transact  his  business  in  one  office,  and 
thus  the  public  convenience  will  be  subserved,  while  the  cost  of 
our  government  will  be  largely  reduced. 

I  know  well  that  an}7  change  looking  to  a  reduction  of  the 
number  of  those  who  hold  public  office  is  not  unlikely  to  meet 
with  opposition,  and  I  am  not  unfamiliar  with  the  arguments 
which  have  been  offered  in  the  past,  even  in  defense  of  maintain- 
ing a  separate  department  for  the  collection  of  water  rates.  If  I 
repeated  these  arguments  it  would  be  to  say  simply  that  they  are 
worthless.  Sooner  or  later  the  changes  I  have  recommended  will 
be  effected.  I  submit  that  there  ought  to  be  a  general  demand 
for  securing  them  now,  for  never  in  the  history  of  our  city  was 
there  a  greater  necessity  for  frugal  government  than  at  this  time. 
I  take  leave  of  this  subject  by  asking  your  Honorable  Body  to 
cause  to  be  prepared  a  bill  providing  for  the  consolidation  of  the 
fiscal  department,  and  to  petition  the  Legislature  to  enact  it  into 
law. 

SINGLE  HEADED  COMMISSIONS  RECOMMENDED. 

I  now  approach  a  subject  which  has  been  the  occasion  of  a 
great  deal  of  discussion  in  the  past,  and  upon  which  local  politi- 
cal parties  seem  to  change  sides,  with  their  varying  changes  of  for- 
tune. I  refer  to  the  question  whether  there  should  be  one  or  more 
heads  to  each  of  the  three  chief  executive  departments  of  the  city 


9 


government.  After  giving  the  subject  mature  consideration,  I 
have  reached  the  conclusion  that  the  duty  of  supervising  the 
Departments  of  City  Works,  Fire,  Police  and  Excise  can  be  ad- 
vantageously devolved  upon  one  man  instead  of  three.  I  con- 
fess 1  am  influenced  largely  in  my  judgment  by  the  fact  that 
those  of  our  citizens  who  take  only  a  citizen's  interest  in  politics 
are  almost  unanimously  in  favor  of  single-headed  commissions. 
No  man  who  fills  a  representative  position  can  afford  to  defy  what 
he  knows  to  be  the  wishes  of  those  whose  agent  he  is.  If  it  is  an 
experiment,  those  who  are  mainly  interested  are  entitled  to  a  trial 
of  the  experiment.  But  is  it  an  experiment  ?  While  one  man 
is  sufficient  at  the  head  of  our  National  treasury  or  army,  does  it 
not  seem  to  be  ridiculous  to  argue  that  three  men  are  necessary 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  either  of  the  three  departments  I  have 
named?  Besides,  since  the  discussion  of  this  question  first  com- 
menced, the  charter  of  the  city  has  been  essentially  changed  by 
greatly  enlarging  the  powers  of  the  Common  Council.  All  the 
legislative  power  of  the  city  is  now  vested  in  it,  in  connection 
with  the  Mayor.  Every  local  improvement,  every  public  work, 
every  purchase  of  supplies,  must  emanate  from  the  legislative 
body.  This  body  is  the  custodian  and  controlling  trustee  of  all 
the  property  of  Brooklyn,  and  it  has  control  and  direction  over 
all  its  offices  and  affairs.  The  Departments  mentioned  possess 
only  ministerial  and  executive  powers,  and  these  can  be  better 
discharged  by  one  man,  who  will  in  his  turn  be  directly  respon- 
sible for  the  performance  of  his  duty,  than  by  three,  who  can.  and 
who  in  effect  almost  invariably  do,  divide  responsibility,  and 
contuse  the  voter  when  it  comrs  his  turn  to  hold  elected  officials 
to  their  just  responsibility. 

ANOTHER  TWENTY  FIVE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  PER  ANN L" M  WHICH 

CAN  BE  SAVED. 

The  reductions  of  these  departments  to  single  heads  will  not 
only  enhance  their  efficiency,  but  it  will  effect  a  reduction  in  the 
salary  list  alone  of  about  $25,000  per  annum.  I  recommend, 
therefore,  that  a  bill  for  this  purpose  be  prepared,  and  that  its 
passage  be  urged  on  the  Legis  ature.  I  am  confident  it  will  have 
the  almost  unanimous  support  of  the  tax-earning  and  tax-paying 
classes.  In  the  present  relation  <>f  our  political  parties  I  think 
neither  is  strong  enough  to  resist  this  measure,  and  1  believe  no 
considerable  section  of  either  will  be  disposed  to  try  to  do  so. 

DIVERTING  THE  PCBLIC  REVENUES  ON  THEIR  WAY  TO  THE 

TREASURY. 

There  is  another  subject  of  the  class  requiring  legislative  in- 
terference before  a  remedy  can  be  effected,  to  which  I  desire 

2 


10 


briefly  to  refer.  It  has  become  a  habit  of  late  years  for  those  who 
favor  the  bestowal  of  public  aid  to  objects  in  their  opinion  deserv- 
ing of  it,  to  solicit  the  Legislature  to  compel  our  local  authorities 
to  extend  it,  by  intercepting  a  portion  of  the  city's  revenue  on 
its  way  to  the  city  treasury.  Under  acts  of  the  Legislature,  and 
for  purposes  very  varied  in  their  character,  over  one  third  of  the 
revenues  derived  from  Excise  licenses  are  paid  out  by  the  Comp- 
troller for  various  purposes,  and  under  laws  he  has  no  choice  but 
to  obey.  I  do  not  say  that  the  Inebriates'  Home  should  not  be 
supported  in  whole  or  in  part  at  the  public  cost;  I  do  not  say 
that  the  various  orphan  asylums  are  not  entitled  to  share  in  the 
public  bounty  ;  I  do  not  say  that  it  is  not  our  duty  to  contribute 
to  a  pension  fund  for  disabled  policemen  and  firemen—  but  waiv 
ing  these  questions  for  the  present,  I  do  \say  that  whatever  is 
given  for  these  objects  by  the  city  should  be  given  openly  and 
above  board.  It  may  be  that  the  individual  should  not  in  dis- 
pensing his  charities  let  his  left  hand  know  what  his  right  hand 
doeth,  but  it  is  not  so  in  the  dispensation  of  public  money  for 
benevolent  ends.  I  am  constrained  to  recommend  to  your  Hon- 
orable Body  the  preparation  of  a  bill  which  will  repeal  all  laws 
now  in  force  designed  to  intercept  the  city's  revenues  while  on 
their  way  to  the  city  treasury.  In  support  of  meritorious  chari- 
table or  reformatory  institutions  I  will  sustain  as  liberal  a  policy 
as  this  most  charitably  disposed  people  will  justify  me  in  doing. 
But  the  public  revenue  is  a  sacred  thing,  and  even  in  the  cause 
of  charity  it  ought  not  to  be  dissipated.  Ten  per  cent,  of  the  Ex- 
cise fund  seems  a  small  matter  ;  but  $16,000  or  $18,000  seems  a 
large  item,  and  in  this  contrast  is  all  there  is  to  recommend  this 
scheme  for  distributing  public  moneys  to  the  favor  of  anybody. 

ASSESSMENTS  AND  LOCAL  IMPROVEMENTS. 

With  regard  to  load  improvements  the  most  conservative 
policy  should  be  followed.  The  depression  in  the  value  of  real 
estate  and  the  cessation  of  building  enterprises  warn  us  to  desist 
from  local  improvements,  except  where  they  are  imperatively 
demanded  by  the  property  owners  directlj7  interested.  I  strongly 
suspect  that  a  large  number  of  those  improvements  in  the  past 
have  been  urged  forward  only  because  a  hope  is  entertained  that 
the  assessment  for  the  cost  may  be  eventually,  in  whole  or  in 
part,  evaded.  Keal  estate  is  already  struggling  under  a  most 
unequal  share  of  the  public  burdens,  and  unless  the  course  of 
reckiess  assessments  can  be  arrested  wc  shall  soon  have  large 
amounts  of  property  in  our  midst  confiscated  and  iibandoned — 
like  Jackson's  Hollow — injuring  the  appearance  of  the  city  and 


II 


retarding  its  progress.  This  subject  of  local  improvements  and 
assessments,  therefore,  has  recently  undergone  investigation  by 
the  learned  Commission  appointed  by  Governor  Tilden  on  the 
subject  of  municipal  reform,  and  by  many  other  experienced 
minds.  There  is  a  common  concurrence  in  one  measure  of  re- 
form— assessments  for  local  improvements  should  be  laid  and  the 
greater  part  thereof  collected  before  any  work  is  done  or  any 
bonds  are  issued.  This  is  the  only  wise  and  safe  course.  It  will 
prevent  improvident  and  oppressive  improvements  by  the  failure 
of  the  preliminary  collection  of  assessments  therefor,  and  it  will 
secure  the  city  against  all  reasonable  doubt  of  reimbursement  for 
its  advances.  I  recommend  that  a  bill  be  pressed  upon  the  Leg- 
islature providing  in  substance  that  no  local  improvement  shall 
be  undertaken  by  the  city  until  an  assessment  sufficient  to  defray 
the  expenses  thereof  shall  have  been  laid,  and  three-fourths  of 
the  aggregate  amount  of  such  assessment  shall  have  been  collect- 
ed and  paid  into  the  Treasury.  And  I  further  trust  the  Legisla- 
ture may  be  induced  to  contract  the  limitation  upon  the  power 
of  the  city  to  issue  bonds  for  local  improvements.  The  present 
wise  measure  of  limitation  fixing  the  maximum  amount  of  bonds 
issuable  for  all  local  improvements  at  §7,000,000,  was  passed  at  a 
time  of  comparative  prosperity  and  progress.  It  is  in  excess  of 
our  present  needs,  and  sound  policy  dictates  a  corresponding  re- 
duction. 

INJUSTICE  IN  STATE  TAXATION. 

The  injustice  in  the  matter  of  State  taxation  which  this  county 
has  had  to  bear  so  long,  calls  for  remonstrance  and  complaint 
from  all  who  in  any  way  officially  represent  our  taxpayers.  The 
taxes  of  the  State  are,  by  usage,  if  not  by  law,  apportioned  and 
levied  according  to  the  valuations  of  property  made  by  the 
local  assessors  in  the  various  counties.  These  assessors  are  re- 
quired to  make  oath  to  their  appraissals.  Nevertheless  the  start- 
ling fact  has  for  years  been  known  and  declared,  to  the  disgrace 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  that  while  the  assessed  valuations 
in  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  approach  closely  to  the 
actual  market  value  of  their  property,  those  of  the  other  coun- 
ties are  on  an  average  but  little  in  excess  of  twenty-five  percent 
of  that  value.  Without  stopping  to  comment  upon  the  wide- 
spread and  complicated  perjury  presented  to  view  by  this  fact, 
it  becomes  apparent  that  in  consequence  of  this  false  and  un- 
equal system  of  valuations  the  two  chief  cities  are  compelled  to 
pay  twice  and  three  times  as  much  of  the  State  taxes  as  should 
fairly  and  justly  fall  upon  them. 


12 


This  injustice  is  still  further  increased  by  the  maintenance  of 
a  faulty  system  for  taxing  personal  property  which  though  lightly 
enforced  in  the  cities,  meets  with  so  little  response  from  the  rural 
districts  of  the  State,  that  it  may  be  said  to  bear  upon  the  cities 
alone.  For  years  this-city  has  struggled  against  this  injustice. 
Our  appeals  have  been  answered  in  some  cases  by  tardy  and  in- 
adequate reductions  from  our  quota  of  the  State  taxes  by  the 
State  assessors,  while  in  others  they  have  substantially  been 
wholly  neglected  or  defied.  Every  effort  to  establish  a  uniform, 
system  of  taxation  on  personal  property  has  been  frustrated,  and 
even  a  measure  to  abolish  the  taxation  of  mortgages  has  several 
times  been  defeated  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State  by  the  rural 
districts;  which  profit  by  this  unequal  system  of  taxation. 

INADEQUATE  STATE  REPRESENTATION. 

The  conduct  of  the  last  two  Legislatures  has  put  this  series  of 
outrages  in  an  attitude  intolerable  to  a  free  people.  The  Consti- 
tution of  the  State,  which  each  Member  of  the  Assembly  and 
Senate  had  sworn  to  support,  made  it  the  duty  of  that  Legisla- 
ture to  reapportion  the  basis  of  representation  during  the  last 
session.  This  reapportionment  would  have  given  to  Brooklyn 
three  instead  of  two  Senators,  and  fourteen  instead  of  nine  mem- 
bers of  the  Assembly.  A  like  increase  would  have  occurred  in 
the  city  of  New  York.  With  this  addition  to  the  representation 
of  the  cities  in  the  State  Legislature,  it  was  to  be  hoped  a  fair, 
equal  and  just  system  of  taxation  upon  property,  real  and  per- 
sonal, might  have  been  obtained.  For  partisan  purposes  the 
Constitutional  obligation  was  broken  and  the  Constitutional  right 
was  denied,  so  that  to-day  the  people  of  the  cities  of  New  York 
and  Brooklyn  are  suffering  from  unjust  taxation,  without  ade- 
quate representation,  at  the  hands  of  the  State.  It  need  only  to 
be  added  that  this  is  the  very  tyranny  and  oppression  which  has 
always  provoked  the  resistance  of  freemen.  We  should  do 
everything  in  our  power  by  agitation  and  influence  to  induce 
the  State  to  remedy  this  evil  and  efface  this  disgrace  to  her  fair 
fame.  I  recommend  that  your  Committee  on  Legislation  be 
charged  with  the  presentation  of  this  subject  to  the  Legislature 
at  the  earliest  opportunity,  and  with  the  continuance  of  its  pres- 
entation until  relief  is  either  obtained  or  refused. 

THE  GENERAL  AFFAIRS  OF  THE  CITY. 

Having  now  performed,  substantially,  one  branch  of  the  duty 
enjoined  on  me  by  the  charter  in  making  such  recommendations 
as  I  have  deemed  appropriate,  I  now  address  myself  to  the  other 


13 

in  giving  you  a  general  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  city 
government. 

THE  CITY  DEBT. 

The  following  is  the  latest  statement  of  the  city  debt  as  re- 
turned by  the  Comptroller : 

PERMANENT  DEBT. 

Permanent  water  loans  $11,216,500  00 

Mount  Prospect  square   90,000  00 

Wallabout  Bay  improvement   198,000  00 

Nat.  Guard  and  Vol.  Firemen's  loan   27,000  00 

Soldiers'  aid  fund   552,000  00 

Kent  avenue  basin   427,000  00 

New  York  bridge   3,000,000  00 

Brooklyn  Citv  bonds  for  New  York  and  Brooklyn 

Bridge...."   2,750,000  00 

Prospect  Park   9,234,000  00 

Deficiency  bonds  prior  to  1872   319,000  00 


Total  $28,113.5'  0  00 

Less  amount  of  sinking  fund   4,660,7-47  55 


Balance  $23,45:.'.  7  :>  2  45 

The  city's  share  of  the  county  debt   3,831,180  00 


Total  $27,283,932  45 

TEMPORARY  DEBT. 

Local  improvement  loan    $213,000  00 

Willianfeburgh  loans   138,000  00 

Third  street  improvement  loan   302,000  00 

Gowanus  Canal  improvement  loan                  ...  236,000  00 

Bushwick  avenue  improvement  loan   6,000  00 

Union  street  improvement  loan   260,000  00 

South  Seventh  street  improvement  loan   268,000  00 

Fourth  avenue  improvement  loan   396,000  00 

Knickerbocker  and  Central  avenue  sewer  loan  .  .  618,000  00 

Assessment  fund  bonds   3,373,000  00 

Assessment  fund  bonds,  water  and  sewer   1,371,000  <'0 

Sewerage  fund  bonds   1,870,000  00 

Boulevard  bonds   842,000  00 

South  Brooklyn  sewerage  fund  bonds   200,000  00 


Total  $10,293,000  00 


14 


INCIDENTAL  TEMPORARY  DEBT. 

Tax  certificates  issued  in  anticipation  of  the  pay- 
ment of  taxes  in  course  of  collection    $2,500,000  00 

By  contrasting  this  statement  with  the  Comptroller's  report  of 
last  year,  it  appears  that  there  has  been  a  net  increase  in  the  ac- 
count headed  "  permanent  debt  "  of  $965,500.  There  has  been 
a  net  decrease  of  $175,500  in  the  temporary  loan  account,  while 
there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  sinking  fund  of  $180,617  95, 
so  that  the  net  liability  of  the  city  is  $659,382  in  excess  of  what 
it  was  one  year  ago.  This  increase  seems  to  have  been  rendered 
unavoidable,  and  is  reasonably  certain  to  continue  for  some  years, 
or  at  least  until  the  completion  of  the  East  Kiver  Bridge,  to 
which  the  city  has  now  advanced  $5,575,000.  These  facts  should 
serve  as  constant  admonition  against  the  city's  engaging  in  any 
new  enterprise  or  improvement  necessitating  an  addition  to  our 
present  indebtedness.  I  hold  myself  committed  to  resist  any  en- 
largement of  the  debt,  apart  from  our  contribution  to  the  bridge, 
except  under  the  pressure  of  an  absolute  necessity,  which  I  nei- 
ther foresee  nor  apprehend. 

THE  TEMPORARY  LOAN  DEBT. 

The  condition  of  the  temporary  loan  debt  is  such  as,  in  my 
opinion,  to  demand  early  attention  from  your  Honorable  Body. 
Over  a  million  of  dollars  of  assessments  have  been  vacated,  for 
one  reason  or  another,  and  this  amount,  and  probably  much  more, 
will  have  eventually  to  be  borne  by  the  city  at  large.  At  an 
early  day  I  hope  to  be  able  to  lay  before  your  Honorable  Body 
further  details  on  this  subject,  and  consider  with  you  if  it  is  not 
the  best  policy  to  accept,  at  once,  such  liabilities  as  the  city  can- 
not hope  to  escape  from,  so  that,  instead  of  carrying  a  temporary 
loan,  which  we  must  eventually  meet,  and  for  which  the  city  is 
paying  at  the  rate  of  seven  per  cent,  interest,  we  can  substi- 
tute for  it  a  like  amount  in  long  bonds,  which  can  now  readily 
be  floated  at,  say,  five  per  cent,  interest.  Meanwhile,  we  should 
see  that  not  a  dollar  shall  be  added  to  this  class  of  indebtedness, 
and  that  every  effort  possible  shall  be  made  to  collect  the  un- 
challenged obligations  now  outstanding. 

THE  REPEAL  OF  THE  SEVEN    PER  CENT.  ACT  RECOMMENDED. 

In  the  collection  of  outstanding  obligations  the  city  has  been 
more  or  less  embarrassed  by  the  passage  by  the  Legislature  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Seven  Per  Cent.  Act,  This  law  was  enacted, 
in  the  first  place,  by  the  Legislature  of  1876,  and  was  designed 
avowedly  to  meet  an  emergency.    The  act  provided  that  taxpay- 


15 


ers,  in  default  to  the  city,  could  pay  their  taxes  and  assessments 
with  the  simple  addition  of  seven  per  cent,  interest.  The  rate 
therefore  charged  on  taxes  in  arrears  was  twelve  per  cent.  It 
was  thought  that  many  citizens  who  were  embarrassed  by  the 
panic  which  set  in  in  1873,  would  take  advantage  of  this  act  to 
liquidate  their  obligations  to  the  city  under  the  favorable  condi- 
tions thus  offered.  The  act  expired  by  limitation  in  one  year 
from  the  date  of  its  passage.  A  renewal  of  the  act  for  another 
year  was  earnestly  advocated  by  those  who  wanted  a  further  de- 
lay in  taking  advatage  of  it,  and  another  year  was  given  under 
an  act  passed  last  year,  and  which  expires  by  its  own  terms  on 
the  first  day  of  June  next.  The  law  has  not  fulfilled  the  ex- 
pectation of  those  who  advocated  it.  It  was  designed  to  help  the 
taxpayers,  and  threatens  to  inflict  serious  injury,  for  while  the 
revenue  to  the  city  has  been  decreased  by  the  loss  of  the  old  fees 
and  penalties  upon  defaults  and  arrearages,  the  taxpayers,  being 
free  from  their  infliction  have  refrained  from  paying  their  taxes, 
preferring  to  use  the  money  at  the  cost  of  seven  per  cent.,  and 
there  has  resulted  a  falling  off  in  our  collections  and  a  correspond- 
ing increase  in  outstanding  tax  certificates,  upon  which  the  city 
is  paying  interest.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  these  losses  to  the 
city  fail  eventually  upon  the  taxpayers,  and  that  this  temporary 
privilege  thereby  becomes  an  actual  injury.  The  period  of  oper- 
ation of  the  last  of  these  acts  expires  next  June,  and  I  trust  it 
will  not  be  extended. 

PUBLIC  EDUCATION. 

This  great  interest  1  believe  to  have  been  as  well  cared  for  by 
the  Board  of  respectable  and  intelligent  gentlemen  who  have  it 
in  charge  as  perhaps  is  possible  under  the  ideas  and  system 
which  prevail  and  govern  its  management.  I  have  radical,  and 
it  may  be,  in  the  opinion  of  many  of  my  fellow  citizens,  extreme 
opinions  on  the  subject  of  education  at  the  expense  of  the  peo- 
ple. I  believe  it  the  duty  of  the  State  to  afford,  free  of  cost  to 
every  child,  the  opportunity  of  acquiring  a  plain,  rudimentary, 
English  education,  and  even,  if  necessary,  to  compel  parents  to 
make  use  of  that  opportunity.  But  I  would  not  go  a  step  fur- 
ther. The  acquisition  <»f  other  languages,  of  what  are  known  as 
the  higher  branches  of  English  education,  and  of  so-called  ac- 
complishments, should  be  sought  elsewhere  than  at  the  public 
schools,  and  obtained  at  individual  and  not  public  expense.  I 
would  eliminate  all  there  is  of  this  mere  educational  luxury  from 
our  school  system,  and  such  elimination  would  end  costly  and 
extravagant  school-houses,  high-salaried  teachers^and  much  un- 
necessary and  burdensome  taxation. 


16 


And  I  verily  believe  there  would  be  secured,  too,  what  is  far 
more  to  be  desired,  education  thorough  and  useful,  and  within 
the  reach  of  the  child  of  every  poor  man.  In  the  time,  of  neces- 
sity limited,  spared  to  school  from  his  labor  for  a  livelihood,  he 
would  be  able  to  learn  what  he  was  taught,  thoroughly  and  un 
derstan&ingly,  and  acquire  a  groundwork  for  such  higher  educa- 
tion as  ambition  or  taste  might  prompt  him  to  seek.  With  the 
multitude  of  studies  required  under  the  present  system,  and  the 
limited  time  his  necessities  restrict  him  to,  this  is  well  nigh  im- 
possible. I  believe  all  this  can  be  secured  at  about  one-half  the 
sum  now  expended  by  the  Board  of  Education,  and  I  regard  the 
curtailment,  meagre  though  it  be,  in  the  amount  levied  this  year 
for  its  purposes  as  a  step  in  the  right  direction. 

THE   CITY  WORKS. 

The  extensive  operations  of  this  important  department  of  the 
city  government  are  given  in  very  full  detail  in  its  report.  I 
have  space  on  this  occasion  but  to  congratulate  our  people  upon 
the  complete  success  which  time  has  demonstrated  to  have  at- 
tended the  project  of  the  Storage  Keservoir  of  Hempstead.  The 
result  has  verified  the  prediction  of  the  most  enthusiastic  sup- 
porters of  the  measure,  and  proved  the  doubts  of  the  least  du- 
bious to  have  been  unfounded.  Indeed,  but  for  the  construction 
of  this  reservoir,  and  the  great  quantity  of  water  it  is  and  has 
been  enabled  to  store,-it  is  to  be  feared  that  we  should  have  been 
suffering  ere  this  all  the  evils  of  a  water  famine. 

THE  POLICE  FORCE. 

Among  the  statements  received  by  me  is  one  from  the  Police 
Department.  I  commend  it  to  your  attention,  expressing  my 
hearty  concurrence  in  the  suggestion  that  some  arrangement  may 
be  devised  whereby  the  members  fit  for  patrol  duty  may  be  con- 
fined to  that  duty  and  not  detailed  where  the  services  required 
of  them,  if  needed,  can  be  performed  by  others.  The  strong,  able- 
bodied  members  of  the  force  should  be  assigned  solely  to  active 
patrol  duty.  If  it  be  necessary  that  policemen  should  be  detailed 
on  the  local  courts,  or  as  an  adjunct  to  the  Health  Department, 
or  for  any  other  exceptional  service,  policemen  worn  out  or  par- 
tially disabled  should  have  those  lighter  duties.  I  think,  too, 
the  compensation  for  such  services  should  be  smaller  than  that 
paid  to  the  members  of  the  force  who  are  doing  active  police 
duty.  With  my  determination  to  oppose  all  measures  calculated 
to  needlessly  increase  the  city  expenditure,  I  am  with  my  present 
information  averse  to  any  increase  of  the  police  force, 


17 


FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

From  this  department  I  have  also  a  statement  as  to  its  condi- 
tion and  operations,  to  which  you  are  referred.  The  depart 
ment  has.  under  its  past  management  earned  for  itself  a  high 
reputation  for  efficiency,  which  I  trust  may  be  preserved  and  in- 
creased in  the  future. 

PROSPECT  PARK. 

Not  having  been  furnished  with  any  figures  from  the  Depart- 
ment of  Parks  I  am  unable  to  refer  to  any  of  the  details  of  its 
operations  during  the  past  year.  The  parks  by  a  law  of  last 
Winter  have  been  very  properly  placed  more  directly  under  the 
control  of  the  Common  Council  than  was  the  case  heretofore,  and 
the  annual  report  of  the  commissioners  to  be  made  to  your  body 
will,  I  presume,  furnish  full  information  as  to  its  transactions, 
when  a  more  intelligent  judgment  than  is  possible  now  can  be 
formed  as  to  the  doings  ot  the  commissioners.  Meanwhile  all 
will  concede  that  the  completion  of  Ocean  Parkway  to  Coney 
Island,  and  the  Concourse  by  the  sea,  has  added  greatly  to  the 
means  of  enjoyment  of  our  people,  and  the  attractions  of  our  city 
as  a  place  of  residence. 

THE  PUBLIC  HEALTH. 

From  the  statistics  furnished  me  by  the  Health  Department,  it 
would  appear  that  the  health  of  the  city  during  the  past  year, 
as  compared  with  p.evious  years,  has  decidedly  improved.  The 
death  rate,  which  last  year  was  reduced  much  below  that  of  the 
year  previous,  has  undergone  a  still  greater  reduction  during 
1877.  In  1875,  the  deaths  per  thousand  numbered  26  1 :  in 
1876.  24.1.  and  in  1877,  21.76 — a  rate  which  is  said  to  compare 
favorabU'  with  that  of  other  large  cities  in  the  United  States. 
This  is  certainly  a  most  gratifying  exhibit,  and  is  perhaps  the 
strongest  evidence  which  could  be  adduced  of  the  salubrity  of 
the  cit}'. 

I  am  of  the  opinion,  however,  that  this  result  can  be  secured  at 
a  less  expense  to  the  city  than  is  now  the  case.  A  few  years 
ago.  say  in  1870,  our  Health  Department  did  not  cost  above 
$10,000  a  year,  while  this  year  it  is  proposed  to  raise  £48.000  for 
the  same  purpose.  I  have  not  been  able  to  see  that  the  increase 
in  the  usefulness  ot  the  department  has  been  at  all  commensurate 
to  the  increase  of  expenditure,  and  I  somewhat  fear  that  a  desire 
to  experiment  and  test  sanitary  theories,  may  have  had  in  many 
instances  the  eifectof  driving  away  factories  and  other  industries, 
which  would  have  given  employment  to  working  men,  and  other- 

3 


18 


wise  promote  the  growth  of  the  city,  without  at  all  endangering 
its  health  or  detracting  from  its  attractions  as  a  place  of  residence. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  it  seems  to  me  that  our  sanitary  precautions 
might  be  as  thoroughly  enforced,  and  the  health  of  the  city  quite 
as  effectually  guarded  as  it  is  now,  at  a  very  much  less  expendi- 
ture of  public  money.  We  have  laws  and  ordinances,  the  en- 
forcement of  which  will  sufficiently  protect  and  preserve  the  pub- 
lic health,  and  it  does  not  seem  possible  that  it  requires  $48,000 
a  year  to  secure  that  end.  To  this  considerable  item  of  expendi- 
ture it  is  only  fair  to  add  the  pay  of  the  six  or  seven  policemen 
who  appear  to  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  Health  Department. 
I  am  wholly  opposed  to  the  designation  of  any  of  the  able- 
bodied  men  of  the  force  to  this  particular  duty,  and  I  would  have 
them  paid  less  than  those  in  active  service,  as  an  effectual  wax  of 
discouraging  policemen  who  have  political  or  official  friends,  and 
who  use  them  to  escape  the  duties  they  originally  were  so  anxious 
to  get  an  opportunity  of  performing.  I  call  your  attention  to 
the  subject,  as  in  my  opinion  as  presenting  a  field  wherein  a 
great  saving  to  the  people  may  be  effected. 

THE  EAST  RIVER  BRIDGE. 

The  progress  in  the  work  of  building  the  great  Bridge  over  the 
East  river  during  the  past  year  has  been  most  satisfactory,  and 
augurs  a  speedy  completion  of  that  great  work  and  consequent 
limitation  of  the  heavy  drain  which  its  cost  has  been  upon  the 
finances  of  the  city.  And  if  the  anticipations  of  its  projectors 
and  advocates  shall  be  realized,  we  shall  soon  begin  to  reap  the 
benefits  and  the  increase  in  the  material  prosperity  of  the  city 
which  are  expected  to  result  from  its  completion. 

To  hasten  that  consummation,  I  trust  that  the  work  of  con- 
structing the  Bridge  approaches  will  be  pushed  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  I  hope  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  your  Honor- 
able Body  will  be  called  on  to  devise  a  system  of  tolls  for  the 
Bridge  which,-  while  not  restricting  its  use  at  all,  will  enable  the 
two  cities  to  realize  a  fair  direct  return  on  their  investment. 

THE  NEW  MUNICIPAL  BUILDING 

it  is  expected  will  be  ready  for  occupation  by  the  various  depart- 
ments of  the  city  goverment,  for  whose  use  it  has  been  erected, 
in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  Spring,  and  you  will  be  called  upon 
to  provide  for  it  the  necessary  furniture.  In  so  doing,  I  hope 
that  no  regard  will  be  had  to  any 'desire  for  mere  ornament  or 
show,  but  that  plainness  and  durability  alone  will  be  the  control- 
ing  consideration.    The  building  was  very  much  needed  for  the 


19 


uses  of  the  city,  and  although  there  has  been  much  adverse  crit- 
icism of  its  plans  and  construction,  if  it  shall  properly  serve  those 
uses  its  erection  cannot  fail  to  prove  a  measure  of  economy  in 
the  saving  of  rent  now  paid. 

PUBLIC  MARKET. 

The  negotiations  which  have  for  some  time  past  been  pending 
with  a  view  of  obtaining  from  the  General  Government  a  tract  of 
land  at  the  Wall  about,  for  the  purposes  of  a  public  market,  have 
not  as  yet  resulted  in  any  satisfactory  conclusion.  I  regard  the 
scheme  for  the  establishment  of  a  great  public  market  as  but  a 
mere  experiment,  and  while  I  have  the  highest  respect  and  con- 
sideration for  the  ideas  and  views  of  those  of  our  citizens  who 
are  confident  of  the  success  of  such  an  experiment,  I  must  con 
fess  I  am  not  inclined  to  favor  any  proposition  involving  the  ex- 
penditure ot  a  million  of  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  testing  it.  It 
is  too  vast  a  sum  to  hazard  on  anything  problematical  at  any 
time,  more  especially  now,  in  the  present  condition  of  the  finances 
of  the  city.  I  prefer  that  some  less  costly  test  be  made,  and 
would  recommend  as  a  sort  of  compromise  that  for  the  present  a 
plot  of  ground  of  sufficient  dimensions  be  leased,  with  the  privi- 
lege of  purchasing  at  a  fixed  price,  in  that  locality,  and  a  tem- 
porary building  for  market  purposes  be  erected  upon  it,  at  an  ex- 
pense say  of  $15,000  or  §20,000.  Then  if  experience  should 
demonstrate  the  probability  of  anything  like  a  fair  return  for 
the  money  invested,  and  especially  if  more  prosperous  times 
should  bless  us,  such  a  market  as  the  most  enthusiastic  on  the 
subject  could  desire  may  be  established.  So  far  as  the  action  of 
the  officials  at  Washington  is  concerned,  when  it  is  remembered 
the  land  the  city  is  now  negotiating  for  is  a  part  of  a  plot  freely 
presented  by  the  people  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  the  Federal 
Government,  their  action,  in  seeking  to  obtain  an  exorbitant  price 
for  the  land  seems  to  be  grasping  and  sordid,  to  an  unusual  and 
in i  warrantable  degree.  It  would  not  by  any  means  be  an  act  of 
extraordinary  generosity  for  the  General  Government  to  make  a 
free  gift  of  the  land  to  the  city. ' 

GROWTH  OF  THE  CITY. 

The  figures  from  the  Department  of  Assessment  show  that  the 
number  of  new  buildings  erected  in  the  city  during  the  past 
year  was  1,270,  the  assessed  value  of  which  is  $3,349,300  During 
1876,  the  number  was  1,506,  and  the  assessed  value,  $3,742,100. 
This  is  ii  very  fair  exhibit,  considering  the  hard  times,  and  may 


20 

be  accepted  as  an  indication  that  even  under  the  most  unfavora- 
ble circumstances,  th  •  rapid  growth  of  the  city  is  un  retarded. 

RAPID  TRANSIT. 

Eealizi ng,  as  I  do,  the  vast  benefits  to  result  to  the  city  from 
the  establishment  of  means  of  rapid  communication  from  one 
part  of  it  to  the  other,  and  especially  with  the  ferries  to  New 
New  York,  I  have  observed  with  great  interest  the  experiments 
now  being  made  with  a  view  of  introducing  the  use  of  cars  pro- 
pelled by  steam  on  our  street  railroads. 

It  is  as  yet  premature  to  decide  whether  or  not  the  present  ex- 
periments are  likely  to  be  successful,  but  I  doubt  not  that  hu- 
man ingenuity  will  at  no  distant  day  prove  competent  to  the  ap- 
plication of  some  motive  power  to  our  street  cars  which  will  com 
bine,  successfully,  the  required  elements  of  safety,  speed  and 
economy,  and  come  into  accepted  and  general  use.  I 
would  heartily  encourage  all  reasonable  and  proper  efforts  in 
that  direction.  The  increase  of  means  of  rapid  transit  into  the 
country  back  of  us  'is  most  desirable,  and  swift  communication 
within  our  city  limits  and  to  the  ferries  is  an  absolute  necessity, 
if  we  are  to  compete  successfully  with  the  other  surroundings  of 
New  York  city  for  any  share  of  its  overflow  of  population. 

OTHER  DEPARTMENTS. 

For  information  in  detail  as  to  the  operations  of  the  various 
departments  of  the  city  government,  other  than  I  have  called 
especial  attention  to,  I  refer  you  to  the  statements  which  have 
been  furnished  me  by  the  chief  officers  thereof.  They  seem  to  be 
full  and  comprehensive,  and  together,  to  present  a  complete  ex- 
hibit of  the  workings  of  our  municipal  government  during  the 
past  year.  1  have  found  in  them  no  cause  for  complaint  as  to 
the  manner  in  which  the  officials  who  administered  the  depart- 
ments have  discharged  their  duty.  As  to  the  recommendations 
in  some  of  the  reports,  in  respect  to  future  action,  I  intend  at  this 
time  'to  express  no  opinion  whatever,  reserving  my  judgment 
until  a  greater  familiarity  with  the  subjects  treated  of  shall  enable 
me  to  form  a  more  intelligent  one  than  is  possible  now. 

CONCLUSION. 

In  conclusion,  gentlemen,  permit  me  to  say  that  if  I  have  made 
larger  exactions  on  your  attention  than  is  usual  on  such  occa- 
sions as  this,  my  apology  is  in  the  fact  that  I  have  deemed  it  my 
duty  to  advocate  radical  changes,  and,  in  some  sense,  "a  new  de- 
parture."   If  I  know  myself  I  am  actuated  by  only  one  motive 


21 


in  entering  upon  the  important  office  T  owe  to  the  generous  con- 
fidence reposed  in  me  by  my  fellow  townsmen.  I  confess  to  be 
honorably  ambitious  to  win  their  regard  and  esteem,  and  to  make 
my  administration  (ill  a  not  discreditable  page  in  the  annals  of 
the  evergrowing  city,  apart  from  which  1  have  no  human 
in  terest. 

Respectfully, 

JAMES  HOWELL,  Jr., 

Mayor. 


R EPORTS 


VARIOUS  DEPARTMENTS 


OF  TITE 


CITY  GOVERNMENT. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OF  CITY  WORKS. 


Department  of  City  Works,  / 
Commissioners'  office,  City  Hall,  > 
Brooklyn,  Dec.  1st,  1877.  ) 

To  his  Honor,  the  Mayor,  James  Howell,  Jr.  i 

As  required  by  your  Honor  in  a  communication  to  the  Board 
of  City  Works,  I  herewith  transmit  the  statements  of  the  work- 
ings of  the  several  Bureaus  of  this  department  for  the  current 
year  to  December  1st,  1877. 

Respectfully, 

H.  W.  SLOCtJM, 

President 

D.  L.  NoRTnup, 

Secretary. 


4 


26 


DEPARTMENT  OF  CITY  WORKS. 

December  1st,  1877. 
Money  received  from  all  sources  and  paid  to  the  City  Treasurer, 
also  amounts  expended  under  appropriations,  etc.,  from  Janu- 
ary 1st  to  December  1st,  1877  : 

RECEIPTS. 


For  regular  water  rates  1S73,  and 

previous  years  

For  regular  water  rates  1874  

1875  

1876  

1877  

For  extra  water  rates  1873,  and  pre- 
vious years  

For  extra  water  rates  1871  

1875  

1876  

1877  

For  default  1873,  and  previous  years 
1-7-1  

1875   

1876   

1877   


Total  water  revenue  

For  water  permits,  extensions,  etc. . . 

For  sewer  permits,  repairs,  etc  

For  repavingover  W.  and  S.  connec- 
tions, etc  

For  water  meters  

For  vault  permits   

For  miscellaneous  receipts  

For  old  wooden  block,  pat.  pavement 

For  pipes  and  castings,  etc.,  water 
construction  

For  sale  horses,  wagons,  etc.,  clean- 
ing streets   .•  

For  inspection,  sewerage  construction 

For  broken  lanterns,  lighting  streets. 

For  contractors'  deposits  on  proposals 

Total  receipts  paid  to  City  Treas. 


$96  18 
52  00 
110  37 
68,566  03 
521,101  21 

83  18 
28  4-1 
57  18 
50,682  62 
210,244  54 
13  50 
6  68 
11  73 
7,127  23 
3,161  63 


,345  52 
8,131  00 
20,366  00 

13,438  15 
1.896  30 
3(37  85 
122  70 
851  17 

1,800  65 

257  55 
50  00 
9  72 
25,709  00 


1934,345  61 


I 

27 


EXPENDITURES. 


From  appropriations  of  money  from' 
water  revenue  for  account  of  water 

maintenance   . . .  j  $277,103 

New  reservoir  dam  I  20,326 


From  appropriations  of  m«ney  raised 
by  tax  for  and  on  account  of  re- 
pairs to  patent  pavement  

Repairs  to  streets  

Cleaning  streets  

Gleaning  sewers  

Repairing  sewers  

Repairs  to  bridges,  ordinary  

Ninth  street  bridge  

Washington  avenue  bridge  

Hamilton  avenue  bridge  

Lighting  streets  


Fuel  public  buildings  

Printing  and  stationery  

Gas  public  buildings  

Cleaning  and  repairing  public  buih 


Repairs  docks  and  piers  

Truant  Home  

Wells,  pumps  and  crosswalks  

Public  baths  

New  boilers.  City  Hall  

Grading  City  Hall  Park  

Advertising,  corporation  newspapers 

Conveying  prisoners  

Removal  of  garbage  

Salaries  Department  of  City  Works. . 
Storm  sewers  

From  money  derived  from  the  sale  of 
bonds  and  certificates  of  indebted- 
ness for  and  on  account  of  water 
construction   

Breaks  in  streets  

AVater  meters  


$97,947 

25 

116,745 

34 

81,270 

20 

50,340 

94 

9,808 

92 

7,609 

04 

1,100 

00 

648 

74 

7,243 

00 

372,908 

44 

4,847 

26 

o_ 

14.263 

02 

9,870 

72 

15,975 

99 

8,605 

78 

17,780 

12 

14,830 

oi 

1.725 

On 

300 

00 

55,0o0 

03 

4,125 

0 

18,768 

75 

84,818 

26 

31.885 

90 

50,507 

07 

8,331 

88 

$297,429  53 


1,041,711  03 


6.892  13       63,731  08 


Carried  forward  |  |$1, 402,871  64 


28 


Brought  forward 


Sewerage  Constructions. 


Drainage  District  No.  21 
"  22 
k£  24 
"  37 


Gowanus  sewer  district  

Percentage  retained    on  completed 
contracts  


'  Street  Improvements. 
Percentages  retained  on  completed 

contracts  

Setting  lamp  posts  

Filling  in  lots   

Fencing  lots  

Flagging  walks  

Grading  and  paving  

Grading  Thirty-ninth  street  


Amount  refunded  contractors  from 
money  deposited  with  the  City 
Treasurer  on  proposals  


Amount  refunded  from  revenue  for 
vault  permit  cancelled  


Total  expenditures  approved  for  pay- 
ment from  money  in  city  Treasury, 
including  the  amounts  refunded  to 
contractors  from  morie}^  deposited 
with  the  City  Treasurer  

Amounts  refunded  contractors  from 
deposits  on  proposals  retained  by 
the  Board  


Expenditures  to  Dec.  1,  1877 


Percentage  retained  on  completed 
contracts  to*  date,  for  and  on  ac- 
count of — 

Street  improvement  fund  

Sewerage  construction  

Storm  sewers  


23,353 
3,6D> 
3,487 

.22,650 
827 


66 
5  5 
79 
05 
25 


5,299  40 


9,^50  72 
9,827  01 
366  26 
2,626  80 
6,726  04 
74,485  39 
11,421  83 


20.284  75 
3,329  65 
945  41 


$1,402,871  64 


59,234  70 


115,304  05 


25,703  00 


10  00 


1,603,123  39 


34,793  00 


$1,637,916  39 


29 


BUREAU  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 


Improvements  completed  and  in  progress  daring  the  year  end- 
ing December  31,  1S77. 


GRADING  AND  PAVING. 


27,9S1  feet  of  grading,  paving,  etc. . . 
5,727       "  "  " 


Am't  Expended. 
Am't  Expended. 

$101,424  11 
6,796  80 


$108,220  91 


Condition. 
Condition. 

Completed. 
In  progress. 


33,7ub  feet—  6?  miles. 
1,570  feet  of  grading  and  paving  done  by  private  contract. 


Filling  lots 


Digging  down  lots 


Fencing  vacant  lots,  9,853 \  lin.  feet. 

Fagging  sidewalks.  46,033  ^  sq.  ft.. 
kt  %-        (various  items).. 


$348  00 


221  50 


2,950  IS 


7,2-iO  47 
192  00 


$7,432  47 


Completed. 
Completed. 
Completed. 
Completed. 


GAS  LAMP-POSTS. 

176  gas-lamps  set  and  9  reset  under 
contract  

41  gas  lamps  set  to  finish  incomplete 
assessment  

Sundry  repairs  and  resetting   


4,777  50  Completed. 


430  50 
555  55 


$5,763  55 


CLUSTERS.  ETC. 

No.  of 
Lights 

1  pedestal  lamp,  Division  and  Harri- 
son avenues  

3  pedestal  lamps  Municipal  Building 

2  M        "      City  Hall  

4  clusters  Bedford  avenue  fountain.  . 

3  14    square  corner  Washington 
and  Atlantic  avenues  


Lamps  uncapped  and  re-lighted.  .201) 
Lamps  capped  » .  67 


9 


56 


$663  00 
170  00 


$833  00 


Completed. 

In  progress. 

ii 

Completed. 
In  progress. 


30 


DOCKS,  PIERS  AND  BULKHEADS 

1  new  pier   $27,679  00 

1  bulkhead  rebuilt    862  00 

5  piers  repaired   1,079  49 


DREDGING. 


(2  items)  Gowanus  Canal 


BRIDGES. 


1  new  iron  bridge  (Hamilton  avenue) 
9  bridges  repaired  


$29,620  49 


$325  00 


$17,990  00 
2,166  00 


$20,156  00 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT  BUILDINGS. 

$7,100  00 


New  engine  bouse  (Seigel  street) .... 
House  of  engine  2  and  truck  1  (Van 

Brunt  and  Seabring)  

House  of  engine  12  (North  Ninth  and 

Second)  


4,550  00 
1,660  00 


$13,310  00 

POLICE  DEPARTMENT  BUILDINGS. 


Completed. 


New  cells  building  (6th  sub.) 

(9th  sub.) 

4  court  rooms  repaired  , 


$3,461  00 
1,183  00 
328  00 


$4,972  00 

PUBLIC  BATHS. 

North  Seventh  street  bath — removing 

pontoons,  etc   $  990  00 

North  Seventh  street  bath — towage 

and  repairs  during  season   666  60 

Conover  street  bath  (new)   13,620  00 

"  "        gas  connection, 

towage  and  repairs  during  season .  283  75 


$15,560  35 


31 


The  total  number  of  bathers  in  the  North  Ninth  street  bath 
for  the  season  commencing  June  13th,  1S77,  and  ending  October 
14th,  1877,  is  191,910,  divided  as  follows: 


Adult  males   50,122 

u     females   17,363 

Boys   98,765 

Girls   25,669 


191,919 

The  running  expenses  of  this  bath  for  the  year  (including  re- 
pairs now  under  contract)  are  $3,141.56. 
The  cost  per  bather  equals  ljjjj  cents. 

The  Conover  street  bath  was  put  under  contract  February 
9,  1877,  James  D.  Leary,  contractor.  It  was  completed  June 
20,  1877.    The  cotal  cost  of  construction  was  $13,620. 

The  total  running  expenses  since  acceptance  are  $1,293.75. 

The  total  number  of  bathers  for  the  season  commencing  June, 
20,  1877,  and  ending  October  1-1,  1877,  is  128,605,  divided  as 


follows : 

Adult  males    34,892 

M     females   13,716 

Boys    62,996 

Girls   17,001 


128,605 

The  total  cost  per  bather,  including  the  original  cost  of  the 
bath  and  the  running  expenses  for  the  season,  equals  llioo  cents. 

The  cost  per  bather,  including  the  running  expenses  only, 
equals  cents. 

Both  baths  are  now  at  their  Winter  quarters  at  the  foot  of 
Twenty-third  street ;  the  Conover  street  bath  is  in  good  con- 
dition, the  other  one  is  undergoing  repairs, 

CITY  HALL. 

Digging  down  in  front  of,  etc.  (in  progress)  $11,400  00 

Various  repairs   1,458  67 

$12,S5S  67 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Retaining  wall,  Ninth  street,  between  Smith  and  the 

Canal   $219  33 

Square,  Atlantic,  Underbill  and  Washington  avenues       94S  00 


32 


Street  basins,  Park  avenue   $1,049  16 

Truant  Home,  window  guards   144  00 

Kemoving  and  trimming  trees   180  00 

Street  basins   512  83 

Drains                                                       \\\[  83  60 

Public  cisterns   168  00 

Surveys   268  50 

Public  pounds   5^5  00 

Various  repairs,  Mayor's  orders   404  35 


$4,662  77 

WELLS  AND  PUMPS,  CROSSWALKS,  CURB  AND  GUTTER. 

Wells  and  pumps,  repaired,  etc   $2,839  30 

Crosswalks,  66  new  and  130  repaired   5,086  04 

Repairs  to  sidewalks   526  05 

New  curb   200  00 


Curb  and  gutter,  reset,  221,155  leet— 41^  miles          11,954  85 


$20,606  24 

SPECIAL  REPAIRS. 

35,773  square  yards  of  granite  block  pavement  laid  in  the  city 
during  the  year  1^77. 

SEWER  CONSTRUCTION. 

4120°0  miles  of  sewers  constructed  during  the  year  1877. 


BUREAU  OF  EXTENSION  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 

General  Statement  of  Work  done  during  the  year  1877. 
Water  mains  laid  during  year  1877,  consisting  of  the  followT- 
ing  size  and  length : 


4-inch  pipe  ,   408  feet. 

6-inch  pipe  25,222  " 

8-inch  pipe.   1,616  k> 

12-inch  pipe  >   3,996  *' 

20-inch  pipe   714  " 


Total  31,956,  or  61§§0  miles. 


33 


Stop-cocks  of  various  sizes   46 

6-inch  pipe  relaid  .   3,386  feet. 

Submerged  pipe  at  Kingsland  avenue   137  " 

Fire  hydrants  set  on  new  mains   69 

Fire  hydrants  set  on  old  mains,  additional   24 

Fire  hydrants  to  replace  condemned  ones  with  wood- 
en boxes.  .  .  .   192 

GENERAL  REPAIRS  TO  PROSPECT  HILL  RESERVOIR. 

Stop-cocks  on  principal  mains  refitted  with  indicator  gearing. 
Taps  driven  for  water  connections  of  various  sizes ........  l,83t> 

Taps  replaced  on  old  service   90 

Together  with  the  daily  routine  of  general  repairs. 

BUREAU  OF  SEWER  MAINTENANCE. 

9,109  house  connections  inspected. 
22  separate       k'  " 
420  repairs  to     "  " 
9,560  street  basins  cleaned. 
19,120  loads  of  deposit  removed  from  street  basins. 

300  miles  of  main  sewers  cleaned  and  flushed. 
25,009  street  basins  examined. 

409  caves  repaired  over  main  sewers. 
1.303  loads  of  sand  used  to  fill  up  caves. 
5,379  yards  of  paving  done. 
1,500  blocks  of  main  sewers  examined. 
72  iron  manhole  covers  set. 
39  street  basin  heads  repaired. 
4         "         "  reset. 
9  manhole  heads  set. 
9         u        "  reset. 


BT RKA U  OK  STREETS. 


Report  of  Permit  Clerk  (Room  No.  1),  for  the  year  ending 
December  1,  1877  : 

NUMBER  OF  PERMIT  ISSUED. 

Building  permits : 

To  erect  new  buildings  1000 

"  alter  and  repair  buildings    400 

"  finish  buildings   75 


1475 


34 


Permits  to  dig  cellars : 
To  cross  sidewalk .  . 
"  build  vaults . . . . 
*'      "     ovens  . .  . 
"  repair  cesspools 


Special  permits : 

To  crosswalk  for  business  purposes  

"  erect  awnings  

"     "     board  fence  

"      "     temporary  platform  

"  ■    "     telegraph  poles  

"      "  flagpoles  

"      "     lamp  poles,  private  

"  temporary  bouses  on  Wallabout  dock 

"  relay  flagging    

"      "     gas  pipes  

"      "     drain  pipes  

"      "     steam  pipes  

"      "     water  pipes  

"      "     railroad  tracks  

"      "  pavements  

"  place  transparencies  on  lamps  , 

"      u     materials  upon  street  

"  "     roofing  materials  on  street  . . .  . 

"      "     scales  on  Wallabout  dock  


canvas  signs  across  street, 
bill-boards  on  walk ..... 


tan  upon  street  

reset   curb  and  gutter  

regrade  street  at  own  rs1  expense . . 

lay  crosswalks  at  owners'  expense . 

"   dirt  on  street  . . , 

"   wood  sidewalk  , 

cut  down  dead  and  dangerous  trees 

trim  trees  

plant  trees  

remove  dead  trees  and  roots  

"      awnings   ,  

"  steam  roller  through  street 
"      old  building ....  .  '  

alter  telegraph  poles  

dig  area  ways  

erect  banner  


733 
16 

33 
5 


78 
58 
7 
20 
13 
3 
1 
1 

264 
6 

11 
4 
3 

20 
2 

21 

53 
6 
1 
2 
3 
2 

15 
1 
5 

87 
1 

353 
5 
11 
3 
2 
1 
1 
5 
3 
2 


787 


35 


To  repair  cesspools  

"  repair  ovens  

"      "  vaults  

"  construct  tunnel  across  street  

u  change  glass  in  street  lamps  

"  occupy  street  for  connection  purposes . 

"  crosswalk  to  fill  up  vacant  lots  

"  stand  relief  teams  on  street  

M  open  walk  to  place  steam  boiler  under 

M  run  dummy  to  Hamilton  Ferry   

"  place  tan  on  street  


1 

5 
6 
1 
1 
3 
30 
2 
1 
1 
2 


1127 


33S9 


Total  number  of  permits  

Complaints  received  by  Superintendent  from  "Board  of  Health," 
kt  Department  of  Police  and  Excise,"  "  Street  Inspectors,"  and 
citizens  for  violation  of  city  ordinance  : 

Dead  animals   3,335 

Dangerous  sidewalks   240 

Obstructions,  sidewalks   161 

Obstructions,  streets   112 

Dangerous  trees    125 

Dead  trees   155 

Carts,  wagons  and  trucks  standing  on  the  public  streets. .  150 

Building  material  obstructing  streets  and  sidewalks   125 

Dirty  streets  and  non-removal  of  ashes.   -112 

Sewer  basins  overflowed   85 

Sewer  basins  stopped  with  snow  and  ice   1,994 

Coal  boxes  on  the  sidewalks   13 

Signs  across  and  on  the  sidewalk   •   28 

Peanut  stands   9 

Newspaper  stands   15 

Non-removal  of  garbage     64 

Trees  obstructing  street  lamps   678 

Snow  and  ice  on  sidewalks  and  gutters   19 

Miscellaneous   123 

Broken  lamps   41 

Ash  boxes  on  the  sidewalks   15 

Buildings  and  fences  over  area  line   16 

Dangerous  awnings   12 

Total  number  notices  served  by  the  Superintendent  and 

Inspectors   2,806 

A  number  of  the  above  complaints  were  served  with  a  second 
notice,  and  where  parties  refused  to  obey  the  notices  of  the  Com- 


36 


missioners  or  Superintendent  they  were  put  in  the  hands  of  the 
Corporation  Counsel  for  prosecution. 

Dead  and  Dangerous  Trees  removed  under  resolutions  of 
Common  Council : 

As  per  resolution  of  Common  Council,  March  12,  1877,  for 
First  ward : 

Appropriation  $50  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

May,  15  trees  removed,  at  $2  $30  00 

June,  10    "  "  k*    20  00    $50  00 


As  per  resolution  of  Common  Council,  November  21,  1876. 

Appropriation  $500  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

January,      1  tree  removed   $2  00 

February,  36  trees       "    74  50 

April,         4    "  "    4  i.O 

May,  3    "  "    9  00 

July,        51    "  "   102  00 

August,     30    "  k<    60  00 

September,  15    "  "   30  00 

October,     10    "  "    20  00 

November,  2    "  "      .    4  00 

  $305  50 

Glass  Street  Signs  to  replace  broken  and  defaced  ones  for 
Street  Lamps: 

Kesolution  of  Common  Council,  February  26  : 

Appropriation  $250  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

Twenty-first  ward,  200  signs,  at  25  cents  $50  00 

Seventeenth  190       "        "    47  50 

Fifteenth        "     178       "         "    44  50 

Third  "      48       "        "    12  00 

Tenth  "      96       "         "    24  00 

Fourth  "      42       "         "    10  50 

Eleventh        "      75       "        "    18  75 

Second  "      70       "        "    17  50 

Odd,  "      27       "        "    6  75 


926 

Putting  in  925  signs,  at  2  cents 


231  50 
18  50 

  $250  00 


37 


Resolution  of  Common  Council,  March  5: 

Appropriation  $100  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 
Twenty- fourth  ward,  353  signs,  at  25  cents  ....  $88  25 

Putting  in  same,  at  2  cents   7  00 

$95  31  $100  00 

Resolution  of  Common  Council,  April  16  : 
Appropriation  $100  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

First  ward,  370  signs,  at  25  cents  $92  50 

Putting  in  same,  at  2  cents   7  40 

$99  90  $100  00 

Resolution  of  Common  Council,  April  16  : 
Appropriation   $150  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

Seventh  ward,  554  signs,  at  25  cents   $138  50 

Putting  in  same,  at  2  cents   11  08 

sH9  58  $150  00 

Resolution  of  Common  Council,  May  21  : 
Appropriation   $25  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

Seventeenth  ward,  76  signs  at  25  cents.  ...  $L9  00 
Putting  in  same>  at  2  cents   1  52 

$20  52    $25  00 
Resolution  of  Common  Council,  September  6  : 

Appropriation    $50  00 

1877.  EXPENDED. 

Sixteenth  ward,  250  signs,  at  20  cents   $50  00    $50  00 

RECAPITULATION. 

Total  amount  appropriated   $675  oO 

"         "       expended   665  31 

Balance   $9  69 


38 


Gas-lamp  Inspector's  Reports  from  Jan.  1  to  Dec.  1,  1877  : 


Brooklyn  Gaslight  Company  

Williamsburgh  Gaslight  Company 
Nassau  "  " 

Metropolitan  "  " 

People's 

Citizens'  " 


Total   1,423 


Lanterns  reported 
out  of  repair. 

Lanterns  reported 
put  in  repair. 

289 

295 

172 

172. 

32 

26 

351 

331 

122 

125 

457 

353 

1,423 

1,305 

Total  number  reported   2,728. 

Notices  have  been  served  on  each  company  by  the  inspector  to 
repair  the  lanterns,  and  in  these  cases  and  all  others  have  been 
acted  upon  by  the  companies,  as  a  general  thing,  promptly. 
There  is  at  present  a  great  demand  for  new  lanterns  to  replace 
old  and  worn-out  ones,  too  far  gone  to  repair  on  the  posts  in  all 
the  companies'  districts  ;  but  this  difficulty  will  soon  be  avoided 
by  the  distribution  of  new  lanterns,  now  being  made  on  contract, 
to  replace  such  as  cannot  be  repaired. 

Gas  Lanterns  and  Frames  issued  and  received  : 


On  hand  January  1,  1S77  

Received  from  Brooklyn  Gaslight  Co 
Old  frames  on  hand  unfit  for  use  . . 


DELIVERED. 


Delv*d  to  Dec.  1,  Brooklyn 
Gaslight  Co . ,  

Wmsburgh  Gaslight  Co 

Nassau  " 

Metropolitan  " 

Peoples'  " 

Citizens'  u 

Sent  to  be  repaired  under 
contract  


LANTERNS  FRAMES 


On  hand  Dec.  1,  1877 


63 

63 

61 

63 

38 

13 

33 

33 

88 

.  HI 

46 

25 

175 

329 

486 

LANTERNS  FRAMES 


337 
1 


460 
1 

63 


338 


329 


524 


486 
38 


39 


There  are  now  being  made  under  contract  500  new  lanterns. 
150  new  frames,  and  175  old  frames  being  repaired. 


Public  Street  Lamps  Lighted  at  the  expense  of  the  city  ; 
also  showing  the  increase  during  the  year  : 


GASLIGHT  COMPANIES. 

No.  Lamps 
Dec.  31,  1876. 

No.  Lamps 
Dec.  1,  1877. 

3  Feet. 

5  Feet. 

3  Feet. 

5  Feet. 

Brooklyn!  District  

Nassau  "   

Citizens'  "   

2855 
2958 
2477 
1874 
1679 
1699 

2 

2872 
30^7 
2552 
1907 
1768 
1703 

9 

13,542 

2 

13,889 

2 

347— 

3-feet  burners. 

Deduct  lamps  uncapped  and  relit. 

141 

3-feet  burners. 

The  burners  on  all  the  lamps  throughout  the  city  are  3  feet, 
with  the  exception  of  two  5-feet  burners  on  lamps  located  at  the 
Newtown  Creek  Bridge. 


40 


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41 


Gas  Consumed  in  the  public  buildings,  City  Hall,  Police  Head- 
quarters. Police  stations,  Auditor  and  Treasurer's  office.  De 
partment  of   Arrears.  Police  and   Justices'  courts,  stable  of 
Mounted  Police  and  Public  Baths — 1877. 


MONTH. 


January . 
February 
March . . . 
April 
May  ... 
June .... 
July 


August 


September 
October .  .  . 
November 

Total 


CUBIC  FEET. 

COST  PER  M. 

AMOUNT. 

706,800 

^2  25 

$1,590  31 

(585,900 

It 

652,800 

u 

M68  77 

618,200 

u 

1.390  92 

528,150 

a 

1,188  38 

113,900 

u 

931  28 

399,400 

u 

898  63 

464.400 

(1 

1,044  91 

477,700 

u 

1,074  79 

574,725 

C< 

1,293  12 

705,850 

u 

1,588  16 

6,2-37,825 

$14,012  55 

As  per  resolution  of  Common  Council,  February  5, 
1877  : 

East  Reformed  Church  clock  

As  per  resolution  of  Common  Council,  August  1. 
1877  : 

St.  Stephen's  Church  clock  


121  73 

150  00 


Total  to  December  1,  1877 


$14,277  08 


Bills  passed  for  cleaning  streets,  removing  ashes,  etc.  : 
1877. — Amount  of  bills  for  cleaning  streets  and  re- 
moving ashes,  passed  from  January  1st  to 


December  1st  $59,072  42 

Extra  work  authorized  by  Common  Council : 
February,  Removing  ashes  from  City  Hall.    $20  00 
March,      Cleaning  Fourth  street,  E.  1).   .  .      71  13 
May,  "        Columbia  Heights  ...        3  75 

11        Wallabocht  place   50  00 

M        in  Twenty-first  ward..      25  00 

October,         "         in  Ninth  ward   39  38 

44  44         Third  avenue   10  00 

"  11         in  Thirteenth  ward  .    .       L0  00       289  26 


Total  $59,361  68 

6 


42 


Amount  of  bills  passed  for  horse-keep  for  Inspectors 
of  Street  Cleaning,  from  Jan.  1st  to  July  31st,  1877,      $590  28 

The  horses,  wagons  and  harness  belonging  to  the  city,  and 
used  by  the  Inspectors,  were  sold  at  public  auction  by  Messrs. 
Cole  &  Murphy,  July  21st.  Since  that  date  the  Inspectors  have 
been  using  car  tickets. 

Amount  of  bills  passed  for  removal  of  garbage  and 


offal,  to  December  1st,  as  per  contract  $18,768  75 


BUREAU  OF  SUPPLIES. 

Amount  of  Bills  passed  from  January  1st  to  December  1st, 
1876,  as  follows — viz.  : 

For  Truant  Home   $7,856  34 

"  Department  of  Fire  and  Buildings   18,889  85 

"         Police  and  Excise   2,373  00 

City  Works   ],624  19 

"  Corporation  advertising   49,997  70 

"   Transportation  of  prisoners   4,125  00 

"  Printing  Common  Council  minutes  .  . .  .   4,318  15 

"  Fuel  for  public  buildings   7,365  25 

"   Miscellaneous  purposes  ,   19.260  39 


Total  $115,841  87 


Resolutions  of  Common  Council  acted  upon  to  December  1st, 
1877  (82),  for  the  following  departments  and  purposes: 


AMOUNT 
AUTHORIZEE 

AMOUNT 
EXPENDED. 

Department  of  City  Works  

$  875 

00 

$  864 

89. 

"  Collection  

625 

00 

478 

00 

3,205 

00 

2,833 

28 

City  Clerk  

469 

00 

325 

00 

1,770 

00 

1,450 

59 

Board  of  Aldermen  

135 

00 

131 

00 

Sealers  of  Weights  and  Measures 

68 

00 

53 

00 

20 

00 

20 

00 

City  Hall  

105 

00 

87 

00 

15 

00 

14 

78 

572 

00 

'572 

0.0 

235 

00 

223 

00 

200 

0u 

200 

00 

Miscellaneous  purposes   

115 

00 

111 

06 

Total  

$8,409  00 

$7,363  60 

43 


Mayor's  Orders  acted  upon  to  December  1,  1877  (37),  as 
follows : 


AMOUNT 
AUTHORIZED 

AMOUNT 
EXPENDED. 

"  City  Clerk's  office  

11  City  Hall  

&  Q  E?  1  Ai\ 
$ODl  *±M 

20  00 

69  00 
90  00 

421  53 
54  52 
324  89 

70  00 

().) 

20  00 
69  00 

69  50 
379  05 

52  00 
263  86 

70  00 

Total  

$1,401  34 

$1,242  46 

RECAPITULATION. 

AUTHORIZED 

EXPENDED. 

S2  resolutions  Common  Council  .... 
37  Mayor's  orders  

Total   

$8,409  00 
1,401  34 

£7,363  60 
1,242  46 

$9,810  34 

$8,606  06 

Total  Number  of  Contracts  Executed  from  January  1  to 
December  1,  1877,  (39),  for  the  following  departments  and 


purposes  : 

For  Department  of  Fire  and  Buildings  :  amounts. 

For  hay,  oats,  straw,  etc   $9,000  00 

"    books,  blanks  and  stationery   499  00 

"    supplies   2,824  00 

M    harness  material                                          ..  295  00 

"    telegraph  material   4,799  00 

"    engine  lathe   312  00 

"    maps   1,317  00 

"    cannel  coal     772  50 

u    white  lead,  oil,  paints,  etc     274  00 

"    general  supplies. .   1,321  00 

"    harness  material,  etc   688  20 

"    telegraph  material,  etc   13,050  00 

"    steam  engine   4,525  00 


$39,676  70 


44 


For  Department  of  Police  and  Excise : 

For  supplies   $725  00 

"    stationery  and  books   1,358  00 

"    blanks   230  00 


$2,313  00 


For  Truant  Home  : 
For  groceries,  bread  meat,  etc   $5,000  00 


Miscellaneous  contracts  : 

For  printing  Common  Council  minutes,  1877  ...  . .  $4,500  00 

"    supplies  for  keeper  City  Hall   488  00 

"    coal  for  public  buildings   7,550  00 

«    wood         "          "    1,400  00 

gas  for  street  lamps  and  pub.  build'gs  (6  contracts),  371,900  00 

"    gold  badges  for  Aldermen   287  00 

"    stationery  for  various  departments   4,144  00 

"    blanks  for  Justices1  courts   750  00 

"    books  and  blanks  for  Board  of  Assessors   647  00 

"    flags  for  City  Hall   269  00 

"    ice  for  public  buildings   580  00 

"    city  directories   825  00 

"    fireworks  for  celebration  of  July  4    1,800  00 

"    transportation  of  prisoners    4,500  00 

"    books  for  Department  of  Collection   282  67 

"    binding  minutes  of  Common  Council   300  00 

"    new  gas  lanterns  and  frames   2,086  00 


$402,308  67 

RECAPITULATION. 

For  Department  of  Fire  and  Buildings  $39,6/6  70 

Police  and  Excise   2,313  00 

Truant  Home   5,000  00 

Miscellaneous  .'.   402,308  67 


Total  $449,298  37 


45 


Contracts,  incomplete,  expiring  December  .31,  1877,  and  pay- 
ments thereon  : 


FOR  WHAT  PURPOSE. 

Amount 
Certified  on 
Contract. 

Amount 
Expended  to 
Dec,  1st. 

Printing  Common  Council  minutes  . 
Hay,  oats,  etc  ,  Dep't.  of  Fire  and  Bld'gs. 

Coal  for  public  buildings   

Wood    "  "   

Groceries,  meat,  bread,  etc.,  Truant  H'me. 
Ice  for  public  buildings  

G:is  for  street  lamps  and  pub.  buildings. 

§4,500  00 
9.000  00 
7.550  00 
1,400  00 
5,000  00 
5b0  00 
4,500  0o 
371,900  00 

$4,348  15 
7.237  53 
6,027  S9 
477  50 
3,320  87 
383  *9 
4,125  00 
30(5,836  49 

Total  ;  

$404,430  00 

$333,357  32 

Bridgekeepers'  Supplies  delivered  to  the  various  bridges  to 


December  1,  1877 : 


- 


Sperm  oil  about  27  gallons. 

Wrenches   1 

Oil  cans  (2  gallons)   2 

Squirt  cans     1 

Iron  shovels    1 

Snow     "   5 

Axes   3 

Padlocks  and  keys   5 

Wooden  brooms   5 

Corn  brooms     7 

Cotton  waste   about  2  pounds. 


46 


Bridgekeeper's  Supplies  on  hand  December  1,  1877  : 


ARTICLES. 

QUANTITY. 

ARTICLES. 

QUANTITY. 



Sperm  oil  (about) . . 
Signal  " 

Oil  cans  (2  gallons) 
Squirt  cans. 

1 5  galls. 

1  " 
15 
15 
10 
23 
19 

9 
21 



10 

5 

3|  doz. 
28 
18 

3 

2 

I  bale. 
23  pes. 

Lanterns  

Lantern  wicks  

Wooden  brooms .  .  . 

Corn 

Wire 

Padlocks  and  keys.. 

Snow  ... 

Iron  chains  

Copies  of  charter  ordinances,  etc.,  1873,  delivered  and  on 
hand. 

Delivered  to  various  departments,  offices,  etc.,  to  Dec.  1,  1877, 
36  copies. 

On  hand  Dec.  1,  1877,  237  copies. 


REPORT 


DEPARTMENT  OF  FINANCE. 


Department  of  Finance,  ) 
Comptroller's  Office,  City  Hall,.  V 
Brooklyn,  December  31,  1877.  J 

Hon.  James  Howell,.  Mayor  elect : 

Sir — In  response  to  your  request,  I  herewith  present  a  detailed 
statement  of  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  as  it  exists  at 
this  date : 

PERMANENT  LOANS. 

Permanent  Water  Loan  $11,216,500  00 

Mount  Prospect  Square  Loan   90,000  00 

National  Guard  and  Volunteer  Firemen's  Loan.  .  .  27,000  00 

New  York  Bridge   8,000,000  00 

Brooklyn  City  Bonds  for  the  completion  of  the 

New  York  "and  Brooklyn  Bridge                    ...  2,750,000  00 

Wallabout  Bay  Improvement  Loan   498,000  00 

Soldiers  Aid  Fund  Bonds   552,006  00 

Deficiencies  prior  to  1872   319,000  00 

Prospect  Park  Loan   9,234,000  00 

Kent  Avenue  Basin  Loan   427,000  00 

$28,113,500  00 

Less  amount  of  Sinking  Fund   4,660,747  45 


Net  Permanent  Debt 


$23,462,752  45 


48 


TEMPORARY  LOAN, 

To  be  reimbursed  by  assessments  levied  upon  the  property  ben- 


efited : 

Fourth  Avenue  Improvement  Loan   $396,000  00 

Growanus  Canal  Improvement  Loan   236,000  00 

Williamsburgh  Local  Improvement  Loan   138,000  00 

Knickerbocker  and  Central  Avenue  Sewer   618,000  00 

Third  Street  Improvement  Loan   302,000  00 

South  Seventh  Street  Improvement  Loan  ...    ...  258,000  00 

Union  Street  Improvement  Loan    . .  •   260,000  00 

Bushwick  Avenue  Improvement  Loan  ..   216,000  00 

Boulevard  Improvement  Loan   842,000  00 

South  Brooklyn  Sewer   200.000  00 

Local  Improvement  Loan   213,000  00 

Assessment  Fund  Bonds   3,373,000  00 

Assessment  Fund  Bonds,  W.  and  S.,  Repairing 

Streets   1,371,000  00 

Sewerage  Fund  Bonds   1,870,000  00 


$10,293,000  00 

Tax  certificates  issued  in  anticipation  of  the  pay- 
ment of  taxes  in  course  of  collection   2,500,000  00 


From  the  foregoing  statement  it  will  be  observed  that  the  fol- 
lowing changes  in  the  indebtedness  of  the  city  has  taken  place 
during  the  year  now  closed — viz. : 

PERMANENT  DEBT. 

Increase  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn  Bridge  bonds  $900,000  00 


Water  Loan  '   111,500  00 


$1,011,500  00 

Decrease  in  Wallabout  Bay  Improvement  Loan.  . ,      46,000  00 


$965,500  00 

From  which  deduct  the  increase  of  the  Sinking 

Fund   130,617  95 


$834,882  05 


49 


TEMPORARY  LOANS. 

Decrease  in  Assessment  Funded  Bonds  $144,000 


Decrease  in  Assessment  Fund  Bonds, 

W.  and  S   80,000 

Decrease  in  Sewerage  Funded  Bonds. .  118,500 

"       Union  st.  Improvem't  Loan  66,000 

Bedford  avenue  (in  full)  . .  278,000 

"       So.  Brooklyn  Sewer  Loan  .  3,000 

"       Fourth  av.  Impr't  Loan  . . .  25,000 

"       Gowanus  Canal  Imp't  Loan  24,000 

South  Seventh  st       "  20,000 

"       Bushwick  avenue       "  17,000 

  775,500  00 


$59,382  05 

Add  increase  in  Tax  Certificates   600,000  00 


Net  increase  in  City  Debt   $659,382  05 


At  first  glance  this  statement  would  appear  as  unsatisfactory ,  but 
an  analysis  of  the  same  will  show  that  the  increase  of  the  public 
debt  is  due  entirely  to  the  amount  of  bonds  issued  for  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Bridge,  and  for  the  extension  of  our  admirable 
Water  system,  and  that  the  Temporary  Debt,  consisting  of  bonds 
issued  for  various  local  improvement  has-  been  reduced  to  the 
extent  of  $775,500. 

I  also  present  a  statement  of  a  great  number  of  cancellations  of 
assessments  for  various  local  improvements  amounting  in  the  ag- 
gregate, with  interest  thereon,  to  over  one  million  of  dollars; 
this  matter  is  now  pending  and  undergoing  consideration  by  the 
joint  Committees  of  Law  and  Finance,  and  it  is  believed  some 
plan  will  be  agreed  upon  whereby  the  deficiency  thus  created 
may  be  met  by  funding  the  same  into  bonds,  payable  in  twenty 
years,  in  accordance  with  the  suggestions  of  your  immediate 
predecessor. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

WM.  BURRELL, 

Comptroller. 


7 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

CITY  TREASURER. 


Office  of  the  City  Treasurer,  ) 
Brooklyn,  Dec.  5,  1877.  f 

Mr.  James  Howell,  Jr.  : 
Dear  Sir: 

In  reply  to  yours  of  the  20th  alt,  I  herewith  transmit  a  de- 
tailed statement,  showing  the  transactions  of  the  Treasury  De- 
partment from  January  1st  to  November  30th : 
Receipts  (including  $10,917.24  int.  on  balances.  .$11,927,328  96 


Disbursements  by  9,792  warrants   11,81^,141  80 


Balance  in  banks  December  1st   £101J,1S7  10 

The  Treasurer  is  also  Treasurer  of  the  Board  of 
Education,  and  has  received  on  that  account  from 

January  1st  to  November  30th   £1,087,210  24 

Unexpended  balance  December  3<>,  1^76.  .  59,519  87 
9  months'  interest  on  bank  balances   6,960  15 


$1,153,690  26 

Disbursements  on  1,946  warrants   1,053,810  94 


Balance   $99,879  32 


The  employees  of  the  department  consist  of  Treasurer,  Deputy 
Treasurer,  bookkeeper  and  messenger.  Heretofore  a  policeman 
has  been  detailed  to  act  as  messenger  for  the  Auditor  ami  Treas- 
urer. Since  his  withdrawal  I  have  been  obliged  to  appoint  a 
messenger.  The  salaries  are  as  follows:  Treasurer,  $4,000: 
deputy!  $3.0<X):  bookkeeper,  $2,000;  messenger,  sl^1.  The 
aggregate  salaries  will  be  §2,500  less  next  year  than  the  present 
year. 

Yours,  truly, 

\VM.  MAYO  LITTLE, 

City  Treasurer. 


52 


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DEPARTMENT  OF  ASSESSMENT. 


Annual  Report  of  the  President  of  the  Hoard  of 
Assessors,  for  the  Year  ending  Nov.  30,  181  7. 


Department  of  Assessment,  ( 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  December,  1877.  j 
Hon.  James  Howell,  Jr..  Mayor  elect: 
Dear  Sir  : 

Pursuant  to  your  request  for  information  concerning  the  opera- 
tions of  this  department,  I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  present  a 
report  ot  the  doings  of  the  Board  of  Assessors,  for  the  twelve 
months  ending  November  3<<,  1877. 

ANNUAL  ASSESSMENT. 


The  valuations  of  the  real  and  personal  property  in  the  city, 
upon  which  is  levied  the  annual  tax,  amount  as  follows  : 


W7. 

1876. 

INCREASE  JN 
1877. 

Real  estate  

$216,481,801 

$213,219,048 

$3,262,758 

Decrease. 

Personal  property. 

13,111,215 

13,878,580 

767,365 

Total   

$229,593,016 

$227  ,<>i>7.623 

Net  Increase. 
$2,495,393 

In  Schedule  B,  hereto  annexed,  it  will  be  seen  that  during 
the  year  ending  J une  1,  1N77  (the  date  of  the  annual  assessment), 
there  have  been  erected  1,27<>  buildings,  tin-  value  of  which  lias 
been  assessed  at  $3,349,3u0.     l>y  comparing  this  amount  with 


54 


the  foregoing  statement,  it  will  appear  that  the  valuations  of  the 
real  estate,  other  than  of  the  new  buildings,  are  substantially  the 
same  as  those  of  last  year.  The  assessors  do  not  hesitate  to  ad- 
mit that  the  value  of  real  estate,  here  as  elsewhere,  has  depre- 
ciated to  a  very  considerable  extent,  but  they  have  not  deemed 
it  proper  to  comply  with  the  numerous  requests,  to  reduce  the 
assessed  valuations,  because  they  believe  that  the  assessments  are 
still  somewhat  less  than  the  present  actual  value  ;  and  because  a 
general  reduction  of  valuations  cannot  operate  to  reduce  the 
amount  of  the  tax  bills,  but  would  make  the  rate  per  cent,  higher, 
in  order  to  raise  the  necessary  amount,  and  so  the  tax- payer 
would  get  no  relief  from  a  reduction  of  the  valuations,  while  his 
property,  in  common  with  all  of  that  of  the  city,  would  suffer  by 
reason  of  reports  going  forth  that  the  tax  rate  had  been  largely 
increased. 

The  following  comparative  statement  of  assessments  and  tax- 
ation for  four  years  will  perhaps  be  deemed  of  interest  here  : 


55 


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56 


The  steady  growth  of  the  city,  as  here  shown,  will  be  effectual 
to  produce  the  much-desired  reduction  of  taxes,  so  long  as  there 
be  no  increase  of  expenditures.  A  reduction  of  expenses  will,  of 
course,  promote  the  happy  result.  It  appears  from  the  above 
statement  that  the  average  tax  rate  has  been  reduced  in  three 
years  from  $35.50.7  per  81.000  in  1874,  to  $31.70  in  1877  (a 
reduction  of  83. SO.  7  per  $1,000).  This  results  from  an  increase 
of  the  taxable  property  on  the  one  part  and  from  a  reduction  of 
the  amount  called  for,  for  State  purposes,  on  the  other,  while  the 
lew  for  local  purposes  is  substantiallv  the  same  in  1877  as  in 
1874. 

The  valuation  of  personal  property  is  -less  in  this  year  than 
last,  but  not  as  much  so  as  appeared  last  year,  compared  with 
the  year  before. 

The  enormous  shrinkages  of  values  and  financial  disasters 
which  mark  this  period,  will  fully  account  for  the  reduced 
amount  of  personal  property. 

Schedule  A,  hereto  annexed,  gives  the  amounts  of  real  and 
personal  estate  as  assessed  in  each  of  the  wards,  to  wdiich  is  add- 
ed, as  matter  of  interest,  but  not  as  a  part  of  the  doings  of  this 
department,  the  assessments  m  the  several  towns  of  Kings  county. 

Local  Assessments,  to  the  number  of  220,  have  been  appor- 
tioned to  the  amount  of  S793, 727.53.  Of  these,  five  for  the  sum 
of  $17,201.28  are  for  street  openings  on  which  no  advance  of 
money  is  made  from  the  City  Treasury.  The  number  ot  local 
assessments  may  not  be  taken  as  an  indication  of  the  number  of 
local  improvements  recently  made  :  for  a  large  part  of  those  here 
named  are  for  improvements,  mostly  gas-lamps  and  posts  of  old 
dates,  some  having  been  done  as  much  as  twelve  years  ago  ;  nor 
is  this  department  to  be  charged  with  delay,  as  may  readily  be 
seen  by  the  annual  reports  of  this  department  for  all  the  years 
since  the  Board  of  Assessors  have  been  constituted  a  department. 
As  shown  in  former  reports,  reductions  have  had  to  be  made  pur- 
suant to  the  provisions  of  the  charter  as  amended  in  1&74, 
from  local  assessments,  where  the  amount  to  be  assessed  to  any 
lot  for  the  proportion  of  benefit  exceeded  the.  limit  (in  the  law) 
as  to  the  value  of  the  lot.  These  reductions  are  a  loss  to  the 
city.  The  charter  provides  an  ample  safeguard  against  such  loss 
by  requiring  that  before  any  contract  be  made  preliminary  esti- 
mates of  cost  and  preliminary  assessments  and  estimates  of  value 
be  made,  and  by  forbidding  the  making  of  a  contract  if  the  cost 
to  any  lot  exceed  its  value.  Since  1873,  this  provision  has  been 
duly  observed,  and  it  is  probably  safe  to  say  that  since  then  no 


57 


loss  has  resulted  to  the  city  from  the  cause  named.  But  prior  to 
1873,  although  the  same  provision  was  in  the  cfiarter,  as  then  in 
force,  the  preliminary  estimates  were  not  had,  and,  as  a  natural 
consequence,  numerous  cases  occurred  by  which  lots  were  assessed 
more  than  could  be  collected,  and  reductions  were  made  by  the 
courts  and  by  the  Board  of  Assessors.  The  amounts  so  reduced 
by  the  Board  of  Assessors  are  as  follows: 

In  1874  1  $  42,407  58 

,    In  1875   101,898  65 

In  1876   157,732  35 

In  1877   165,142  60* 

$468,181  18 

This  is  but  a  part  of  the  enormous,  loss  sustained  by  the  city 
through  this  flagrant  violation  in  the  past  years,  of  plain  provi- 
sions of  law,  and  to-day  we  are  bearing  the  burden  of  debt  result- 
ing from  such  loss. 

After  deducting  the  assessments  for  streets  openings  and  re- 
ductions named  above,  there  remains  the  sum  of  $610,383.65  of 
the  total  local  assessments  of  the  year,  which,  when  collected, 
will  be  applicable  to  the  reduction  of  the  city's  debt 

Preliminary  estimates  in  twenty -five  proposed  improve- 
ments have  been  made,  of  which  the  aggregate  estimated  cost  is 
$182,654.80.  Of  these,  two,  of  which  the  estimated  cost  is 
$52,045.12,  cannot  be  proceeded  with,  because  they  are  lots  upon 
which  the  estimated  assessment  would  exceed  the  limit  of  value. 

Apportionments  of  taxes  and  assessments  heretofore  levied 
upon  various  plots,  where  division  of  the  same  had  to  be  made 
on  account  of  diverse  interests,  have  been  made  by  this  Board 
during  the  year,  to  the  number  of  eight  hundred  and  twenty. 

Jury  List. — The  annual  list  of  persons  liable  to  jury  duty,  has 
been  made. 

North  Second  Street  Widening.— By  a  law  passed  in  1871 
(chapter  559),  North  Second  street,  from  the  East  river  to  Bush 
wick  avenue,  was  widened  to  eighty  feet,  and  provisions  were 
made  for  compensation  for  lands  and  buildings  taken,  etc 
The  Common  Council  fixed  a  district  of  assessment,  and  Com- 
missioners were  appointed  who  determined  that  the  cost  of  the 
improvement  for  lands  and  buildings  taken,  and  the  expenses  in- 
cidental thereto,  was  8322,1)48.50.  The  report  of  the  Commis- 
sioners and  map  of  the  assessment  district,  fixed  V.y  the  Common 
Council,  were  sent  to  this  Board,  that  the  amount  be  apportioned 

♦See  schedule  F. 

8 


58 


and  assessed  upon  the  several  lots  affected.  On  this,  the  Board 
of  Assessors  decicfed,  December  23,  1876,  that  in  their  judgment, 
the  lands  within  the  district  of  assessment  would  not  be  benefit- 
ed to  the  extent  of  the  cost,  and  reported  accordingly.  On  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1877,  a  mandamus  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  served 
upon  the  Board  of  Assessors, '  directing  this  body  to  fix  the  dis- 
trict of  assessment,  in  conformity  with  the  above-recited  law. 
Since  that  date,  this  Board  has  made  repeated  efforts  to  comply 
with  the  mandate  of  the  court,  having  appointed  various  com- 
mittees to  examine  the  matter  and  report,  but  have  always  beeil 
unsuccessful  in  their  effort  to  ufix  the  district  in  their  judgment 
benefitted  by  the  said  widening,"  as  the  law  prescribes,  which  will 
not  conflict  with  another  provision  of  the  law,  to  the  effect  that 
seventy  per  cent,  of  the  damages  and  expenses  shall  be  assessed 
upon  the  lands  lying  within-  one  hundred  feet  of  the  street  as 
widened,  and  "  the  remaining  thirty  per  cent,  upon  the  remain- 
ing lots  "  "  within  the  district  of  assessment." 

Recently  an  order  of  the  court  commanded  the  members  of 
this  Board  to  show  why  they  should  not  be  punished  for  not 
obeying  the  order  of  the  court,  to  which  (acting  in  this,  as  in  all 
of  the  proceedings,  under  the  advice  of  the  Corporation  Counsel) 
nine  out  of  ten  of  the  members  made  reply  to  the  court  that  they 
had  made  repeated  efforts  to  fix  a  district  "in  their  judgment 
benefitted,"  but  had  not  been  able  to  decide  that  any  lands,  not 
a  lying  within  one  hundred  feet  of  the  said  street,  as  widened," 
would  be  benefitted  by  the  improvement,  and  so  had  been  una- 
ble to  fix  a  district  that  would  conform  to  the  law  in  the  two  par- 
ticulars named.    The  matter  is  now  pending  in  the  court. 

Washington  Avenue  Extension  in  the  Town  of  Flat- 
bush. — Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature 
of  1870  (chap.  376),  the  Board  of  Park  Commissioners  called 
upon  the  Board  of  Assessors  to  apportion  an  assessment  for 
grading  and  paving  said  extended  street. 

This  Board  made  the  apportionment,  including  in  the  amount 
apportioned  the  sum  of  $400.53  for  Assessors'  fees.  The  report 
of  the  assessment  was  completed  February  16,  1877.  When  suf- 
ficient money  had  been  collected  by  the  Park  Commissioners, 
they  paid  the  amount  of  Assessors'  fees  to  this  Board,  and  the 
same  was  paid  on  October  16,  1877,  by  order  of  the  Board  of 
Assessors,  to  the  Comptroller  for  the'use  of  the  city. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  dear  sir, 

Yours  respectfully, 

JOHN  TRUSLOW, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Assessors. 


59 


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60 


SCHEDULE  B.— (New  Buildings.) 

Number  and  Assesesed  Value  of  New  Buildings  erected  in  this 
city,  for  the  two  years  ending  June  1.  1877  : 


1876. 


Ward. 


No.  of 
IBuildings. 


First  

Second   

Third  

Fourth  

Fifth  

Sixth  

Seventh  .... 

Eighth  

Ninth  

Tenth  

Eleventh   

Twelfth  

Thirteenth  

Fourteen th  .  . 

Fifteenth  

Sixteenth  

Seventeenth  . . 
Eighteenth  . . . 
Nineteenth  . . . 
Twentieth  .  . . 
Twenty-first  . . 
Twenty-second 
Twenty-third  . 
Twenty-fourth. 
Twenty-fifth  .  . 


9 
2 
9 
3 
1 
46 
110 
56 
30 
28 
21 
42 
23 
28 
39 
36 
73 
139 
115 
58 
175 
155 
120 
42 
146 


1,506 


Amount 


$105,500 
21,000 
81,400 
11.700 
3,200 
148,300 
391,400 
66,500 
45,400 
57,700 
100,900 
86,000 
204,800 
73.500 
58,60C 
71,900 
141,100 
147,800 
342,100 
297,000 
310,700 
394,200 
270,800 
80,000 
230,600 


$3,742,100 


1877. 


Ward. 


First   

Second   

Third  

Fourth  

Fifth   

Sixth  

Seventh   

Eighth   

Ninth  

Tenth  

Eleventh  . 

Twelfth  

Thirteenth  

Fourteenth  . . . 

Fifteenth  

Sixteenth   

Seventeenth  . 
Eighteenth  .  . . 
Nineteenth  . . . 
Twentieth 
Twenty-first  . . 
Twenty-second 
Twenty-third  . 
Twenty-fourth 
Twenty-fifth. . 


No.  of 
Buildings . 


13 
1 
25 
7 
1 
30 
119 
69 
34 
30 
5 
39 
12 
10 
28 
46 
47 
70 
87 
38 
119 
154 
102 
42 
142 


1,270 


Amount. 


$267,100 
3,500 
132,200 
15,800 
15,100 
110,700 
353,300 
63,700 
67,300 
58,500 
13,500 
89,600 
55,600 
27,800 
48,700 
110,700 
96,600 
93,400 
234,800 
211,500 
217,700 
519,400 
247,200 
90,400 
205,200 


$3,349,300 


61 


Is 


Remaining  on 
Hand  November 
30,  1877.  See 
Schedule  G. 

Amount. 

S           £  S8 

•c              ■»•  *  as 

£  s 

S8 

g 
g 

No. 

r 

Returned  not 
Apportioned. 

Sec  schedule  E. 

Amount. 

1 

6 

©  ■ 

Apportioned 
Dm  in<,'  the  Year 
iind  Reported  to 
the  Coin.  Coun- 
cil.   See  Sched- 
ules D  and  F. 

Amount. 

$55,528  18 
*449,(  57  a3 
10,1128  18 
5,481  14 
5,949  94 
l,2(i(i  SI 

 1 

xncxci.': 
35  -r     —  e  — 

S>  O  —  3^  TO  — 

$ 

CD- 

E 

* 

y.  - 

S3 

9  c 


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£  ?r  n  N 


x  — 


h-3 

T  Is 

9  a 

ED  a 

O  I 

/-  ? 


i 

88 

mount. 

15,201  83 
J3,440  04 



5,949  94 

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I 

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62 


SCHEDULE  D. 

Local  Assessments  completed  during  the  year  ending  November 
30,  1877  : 


GAS  LAMPS  AND  POSTS. 


Atlantic  ave,  from  Classon  to  the  City  Line.   

Albany  ave,  from  Atlantic  to  St.  Marks  ave  

Albany  ave,  from  Herkimer  st  to  Atlantic  ave. . . 

Adams  st,  from  Broadway  to  Evergreen  ave  

Bridge  st,  near  Sands  st   ... 

Bushwick  ave,  from  Grand  to  Powers  st  

Bridge  st,  northeast  corner  of  Fulton  st  

Broadway  and  S.  Eighth  st,  Pedestal  Gas  Lamp 
and  Post  

Baltic  st,  from  Hicks  to  Court  st  

Broadway,  from  South  Sixth  to  Magnolia  st  

Bayard  st,  from  Graham  ave  to  Humboldt  st  

Broom  st,     "  "     "       "  "  . . . . 

Bergen  st,  from  Bedford  to  Franklin  ave  

Chauncey  st,  from  Reid  to  Patchen  ave  

Carll  st,  northwest  corner  of  Fair  st   

Carroll  st,  southwest  corner  of  Court  st  

Court  st,  from  State  to  Atlantic  st  

Cedar  st,  bet  Bush  wick  and  Central  aves  

Dean  st,  from  Nostrand  to  New  York  ave  

Dean  st,  from  Bedford  to  Franklin  ave  

Dean  st,  from  Grand  to  Washington  ave  

Dikeman  st,  from  Richards  to  D wight  st  

Degraw  st,  from  Fifth  to  Flatbush  ave  

Division  and  Harrison  ave  and  Broadway,  Pedes- 
tal Lamp  

Dean  st,  from  Albany  to  Kingston  ave  

Douglass  st,  from  Washington  to  Classon  ave  

Diamond  st,  from  Norman  to  Van  Cott  ave  

Devoe  st,  from  Union  ave  to  Lorimer  st  .  .*.  

Eleventh  st,  from  Broadway  to  Grand  st  

Eldert  st,  from  Broadway  to  Bushwick  ave  

Flatbush  ave,  from  Hanson  pi  to  Prospect  Park. 

Fort  Green  pi,  northwest  corner  Fulton  st  

Fulton  st,  northwest  corner  Orange  st  

Fourth  st,  from  Hoyt  to  Bond  st.  

Front  st,  from  Gold  st  to  Hudson  ave  

Fulton  pi,  from  Livingston  to  Fulton  st  . 

Flushing  ave,  from  Broadway  to  City  Line  

Frost  st,  from  Kingsland  ave  to  Humboldt  st  

Floyd  st,  from  Tompkins  ave  to  Broadway. 

First  st,  from  North  Second  to  North  Twelfth  st. 

Green  ave,  Stuyvesant  ave  to  Broadway  

Grand  ave,  Bergen  to  Pacific  st  

Graham  ave,  corner  Ten  Eyck  st  

Greene  ave,  from  Yates  to  Lewis  ave  

Grand  ave.,  from  Bergen  st  to  Washington  ave... 


[ 

WHEN 
COMPLETED. 

AMOUNT. 

ivicn  iu,  J  o  ( t . . 

flfcft  zl07  AO 

$0,4/5  (  44 

Feb  3,  1877.  . 

OAO  OQ 

PC  OO 

bo  ob 

• 

A  QI7  OA 

487 , o9 

ob  ob 

104  10 

49  26 

Feb  10, 1877. . . 

rytfA  Oft 

/<4  oi 

May  5,  1877. . . 

ft  A  A  KO 

Aug  ol,  lou  .  . 

pr  A-l  K  C.C) 
O,U10 

1  01  Aft 
1^1  Ub 

Oct  0, 187  7  . .  . 

1  171 

ono  KA 
61)6  04 

t  eb  3,  1877. . . . 

1  A  A    O  A 
lUb  ^4 

OO    1  A 

bo  14 

54  01 

JVlCh  10,  1877.  . 

-\  ACi  QO 

14y  co 

Aug  ol,  1877. . 

111  Q    ft  A 

olO  by 

feb  o,  18/ 1 .... 

1  oo  >yo 

1  ox  oo 
180  Oi 

99  75 

II 

200  18 

May  5,  1877 . .  . 

1,040  89 

Sept  29,  1877. . 

785  15 

Oct  5, 1877  

149  75 

124  30 

Oct  27, 1877  . ! 

294  71 

Nov  10,  1877.. 

151  73 

Nov  17,  1877.. 

759  47 

jNov  10,  1877.. 

145  14 

Mch  18,  1877. . 

1,714  74 

Feb  3,  1877. . . . 

49  33 

49  36 

Jan  27, 1877 ! ! ! 

751  39 

May  5, 1877... 

146  03 

May  19,  1877. . 

190  76 

Nov  24,  1877.. 

2,751  27 

|Nov  10,  1877. . 

194  91 

Nov  17,  1877.. 

595  52 

866  41 

Feb  3, 1877..!! 

776  72 

164  10 

95  93 

Oct  5, 1877.'!.'. 

1 

178  94 

245  08 

63 


gas  lamps  and  posts. — {continued-) 


1877. 

1877  . 
1877 
1877  . 


Grove  st.,  from  Broadway  to  Evergreen  ave  Nov  24,1877. 

Guernsey  st,  from  Meserole  to  Oak  si  Nov  17, 1877 

Grcenpoint  ave,  from  Franklin  st.  to  Union  pi 
Graham  ave,  from  Richardson  st.  to  Meeker  ave..  Nov  24, 
Hamilton  ave,  south  side,  50  feet  west  of  Rich- 
ards st  Feb  3, 

Hey  ward  street,  from  Harrison  ave.  to  Broadway  Aug  31, 

Hart  street,  from  Lewis  avenue  to  Broadway  NovT 

Henry  street,  from  Atlantic  to  Hamilton  avenue.  Nov  24, 1877 

Jay  st,  south- east  corner  of  Johnson  st  Feb  3,  1877 

Jay  street,  from  Water  to  Plymouth  street  .... 

Kosciusko  place,  corner  of  Kent  avenue  

Kent  avenue,  from  Union  place  to  Franklin  st. 
Kosciusko  street,  from  Throop  to  Yates  avenue 
Lee  avenue,  from  Division  to  Flushing,  avenue. . .  Mch  10,  187? 
Lexington  avenue,  from  Tompkins  to  Lewis  av. .  Feb  10,  1877. 
Lorimer  street,  from  Noble  to  Calyer  street  . . . 
Leonard  street,  opposite  Lutheran  Church  .... 
Leonard  street,  opposite  Methodist  Church. . . . 
Livingston  street, .south  side,  100  feet  east  c 

Court  street  

Lewis  avenue,  in  front  of  St.  John's  College 
Leonard  st,  from  Greenuoint  av.  to  Calyer  st  Nov  10, 1877. 

Lewis  ave,  from  Willoughby  to  DeKalb  avenue..  Aug  31,  1877. 

Lawton  street,  from  Bushwick  ave.  to  Broadway 

Lynch  street,  from  Broadway  to  Harrison  avenue  Oct  5,  1877. 

Marion  street,  from  Ralph  to  Saratoga  avenue  ..  Feb  10,  1877. 

Monroe  street,  from  Throop  to  Yates  avenue 

Myrtle  street,  from  Myrtle  to  Central  avenue. . . .  May  19, 18 "n 

Madison  street,  from  Tompkins  to  Throop  ave.  .|  " 

Metropolitan  ave,  from  Bushwick  to  Porter  ave.JAug  31,  1877. 

Milton  street,  from  Franklin  to  Orchard  street. . .  41 

Madison  street,  from  Evergreen  to  Myrtle  avenuel 

Melrose  street,  from  Evergreen  to  Central  avenueiOct  27,  1877  . 

Morrell  street,  from  Stagg  to  Scholes  st   " 

Margaretta  st,  from  Broadway  to  Bushwick  av...  Nov  10,  1877. 

North  Elliott  place,  from  Flushing  to  Park  av.  .  .  Feb  10,  is;?  . 

Newell  street,  from  Meserole  to  Norman  avenue.  " 

Nevins  street,  from  Baltic  to  Carroll  st  May  ID,  1877. 

Ninth  street,  from  Sixth  to  Ninth  avenue  

Nassau  avenue,  from  Lorimer  to  Diamond  st.  . .  .  Oct  5,  is??  .  . 

Norman  avenue,  from  Diamond  to  Newell  st.  .  .  . 

North  Second  st,  from  Fourth  to  Fifth  st   .  .  Oct  '2?.  is?? 

Patchen  ave,  from  Lafayette  ave  to  Jefferson  st. .  Feb  10, 1877  . 

Powers  st,  from  Bushwick  ave  to  Catherine  st. . .  " 

Prospect  ave,  from  Fiftli  to  Sixth  ave   * 

Park  ave,  from  Portland  to  Washington  ave.   .  .  .  Nov  10,  1877. 

Pineapple  st,  from  Henry  to  Fulton  st  (Aug  31,  1877. 

Pulaski  st,  from  Lewis  ave  to  Broadway  Nov  10,  is?? . 

Ryerson  st,  from  Fulton  to  Gates  ave  'Aug  31,  1877. 

Rutledge  st,  from  Marcy  to  Harrison  av  Feb  10, 1877  . 

Seventh  st,  from  Sixth  to  Seventh  ave  Sep  29,  1877  . 

Schcnectadv  ave,  from  Herkimer  st.  to  Atlantici 
avenue  |Feb  10,  187?  . 


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


$307  27 
317  57 

100  94 
108  30 

44  54 
125  00 
419  93 
1,188  75 
41  10 
90  36 
til  II? 
78  45 

101  19 
1,419  91 

55?  00 
04  50 
04  44 
61  47 

44  85 
121  40 
505  83 
203  64 
i?S  (12 
120  .".I 
365  38 
214  41 
579  19 
186  2<> 
802  11 
101  74 
331  68 
120  62 
HIS  23 
145  32 
138  20 
134  55 
S38  78 
1,6S3  46 
251  05 
01  02 
881  o? 
739  14 
446  02 

us  i; 
651  oi 
168  ?7 
590  69 
1?0  25 
221  02 
601  90 

94  87 


64 


gas  lamps  and  posts. — {continued.) 


South  Eleventh  st,  from  Second  st,  to  East  river. 

Sullivan  st,  from  Richards  to  Dwiirht  st  

Schermerhorn  st,  from  Court  to  Clinton  st  

Stuyvesant  ave,  from  DeKalb  to  Lexington  ave., 
Sixth  st,  from  North  Fourth  to  North  Seventh  st 

Spencer  >t,  from  Flushing  to  DeKalb  ave  

St.  Mark's  ave,  from  Nostrand  to  Franklin  ave. . 

Sixteenth  st,  from  Fifth  to  Sixth  ave  

Sand  ford  st,  from  Flushing  to  Myrtle  ave  

Tenth  st,  from  Division  ave  to  Grand  st  

Thirteenth  st,  from  Third  to  Seventh  ave  

Twelfth  st,  from  Broadway  to  Union  ave  

Vine  st,  from  Columbia  Heights  to  McKinney  st. 


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


Feb  10,  1877 


Mch  10, 
Aug  31, 
May  19, 
Nov  24, 
Nov  17, 
Nov  24, 
Sept  29, 
Aug  31, 
Nov  17, 
Feb  10, 


1877. 
1877. 
1877. 
1877. 
1877. 
1877. 
1877. 
1877, 
1877. 


1877. 

Varetst,  from  Bushwick  ave  to  Bogert  st  |Nov  17,  1877. 

Waverly  ave,  from  DeKalb  to  Lafayette  ave  Feb  10,  1877 

Washington  st,  northwest  corner  Front  st  

Washington  ave,  southwest  cor  Willoughby  ave. 

Warren  st,  from  Nevins  st  to  Fourth  ave  May  19,  1877. 

West  st,  from  Green  point,  ave  to  Quay  st 

Washington  ave,  from  Douglass  to  Butler  st  Aug  31,  1877, 

Yates  ave,  from  Gates  ave  to  Monroe  st  Feb  10,  1875 


GRADING  AND  PAVING. 

Albany  ave,  from  Herkimer  to  Wyckotf,  and  / 

from  Warren  st  to  the  City  Line  f 

Ash  st,  from  Union  pi  to  Oakland  st  

Box  st,  from  Commercial  st  to  Union  pi  

Baltic  st,  from  Bond  to  Nevins  st  

Fourth  st,  from  Tenth  to  Orchard  st  


AMOUNT. 


Mch  10,  1877. 

Oct  27.  1877. 
Sept  29,  1877, 
Oct  5,1877... 
IJan  27  1877. 


May  5,  1877. 
Oct  5. 1877.. 


Oct 


187' 


First  st,  from  Third  to  Fifth  ave  

Hancock  si,  from  Re  id  to  Patchen  ave  

Howard  ave,  from  Broadway  to  Halsey  st  

Herbert  st,  from  Humboldt  st  to  Kingsland  ave.. 

Judge  st,  from  Powers  to  Devoe  st  

Lewis  ave,  from  Myrtle  to  Willoughby  ave   

Madison  st,  from  Tompkins  to  Throop  ave  

Muspeth  ave,  from  Humboldt  st  to  429  ft  west  ) 

of  Olive  st   f 

Olive  st,  from  Devoe  st  to  Metropolitan  ave  

Oak  st,  from  West  to  Franklin  st  

Perm  st,  from  Harrison  ave  to  Broadway  

Park  ave,  from  Clinton  to  Waverly  ave  

Park  av*»,  from  Hall  st  to  Kent  ave,  and  from  )  i 

Spencer  st  to  Nostrand  ave  f 

Park  ave,  from  Nostrand  to  Tompkins  ave  'Nov  10,  1877 

St'  ckton  st,  from  Nostrand  to  Marcv  ave  jSept  29,  1877. 

Second  ave,  from  Hamilton  ave  to  Sixth  st   |Oct  15, 1877. . 

Seventh  ave,  f  rom  First  st  to  Greenwood  cemet'y.  Oct  5, 1877.  .  . 
Withers  st,  from  Humboldt  st  to  Kingsland  ave..  " 


Less  reductions,  see  Schedule  F. 


Nov  10,  1877. 
Sept  29,  1877. 

Jan  27,  1877. . 
NTov  10,  1877. 
Sept  29, 1877 

Jan  27,  1877. 
Oct  27,  1877., 


$105  20 
171  70 
131  35 
553  60 
251  38 
770  35 
409  97 
210  59 
353  75 
953  49 
1,903  02 
369  89 
80  69 
355  95 
116  34 
53  44 
44  28 
964  98 
746  20 
88  64 
93  45 


$55,528  18 

$75,897  81 

2,433  34 
1,245  19 
3,425  05 
33,440  04 
67,402  75 
2,029  45 
3,455  97 
2,671  54 
1,198  76 
1.792  14 
2,723  20 

1,963  34 

612  05 
1,012  72 
1,485  72 

690  75 

10,201  46 

10,436  03 
8,041  80 
164,104  80 

50,710  42 
2,082  96 

$449,057  33 
166,142  60 


$282,914  73 


65 


GRADING. 


Nassau  ave,  from  Diamond  to  Humboldt  st  Oct  27,  181  < 

Norman  ave,  from  Humboldt  to  Jewell  st  Nov  24,  1877 

Thirty-ninth  st,  from  Fourth  to  Eighth  ave  March  10,  1 81 


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


GRADING,  CURBING  AND  GUTTERING. 


Ohauncey  st,  from  Patchen  to  Ralph  ave. 
Pulaski  st,  from  Yates  to  Lewis  ave  


REPAYING. 


Union  pi,  from  Commercial  st  to  Newtown  Creek 


REG  HADING  AND  REPAYING. 


Canton  st,  from  Myrtle  to  Willoughby  ave. 


SPECIAL  ASSESSMENTS. 


Kent  ave  basin*:  

Kent  ave  basin  (docks  from 
bridge)  


Oct  27,  1877. 
Sept.  29,  1877. 


Feb  8,  1877. 


AMOUNT. 


$052  02 
1,570  04 
16,598  98 


si  0.122  1!) 


Oct  27, 


Wilson  st  to  the 


FLAGGING. 

Bush  wick  ave,  east  side,  bet  Flushing  ave  and 
Cook  st,  and  bet  Varet  and  Moore  sis  

Belvidere  st,  bet  Broadway  and  Beaver  st  

Carroll  st,  north  side,  bet  Fourth  and  Fifth  avcs 

Carroll  st,  south  side,  bet  Fifth  and  Sixth  avcs.  . 

Decatur  st,  bet  Yates  and  Lewis  aves  

Dikeman  st,  north  side,  bet  Richards  and  Dwiglit 
sts  


Fifth  st,  bet  Sixth  and  Seventh  aves  

Fifth  st,  bet  Fifth  and  Sixth  aves  

Fifth  ave,  bet  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth  sts  

Greene  ave,  bet  Marcy  and  Tompkins  aves  

Greene  ave,  bet  Tompkins  and  Patchen  aves. . . . 

Jefferson  st,  bet  Reid  and  Patchen  aves  

Kosciusko  st,  betThroop  Rnd  Yates  aves  

Leonard  st,  west  side,  bet  Norman  and  Nassau  sts 
Lorimer  st,  both  sides,  bet  Norman  and  Nassau 

aves   

Metropolitan  ave,  bet  Bushwick  and  Porter  ftVCfi 

Myrtle  st,  bet  Bushwick  and  Central  aves  

Madison  St,  be!  Marcy  and  Tompkins  aves  

N<  strand  ave,  bet  Herkimer  pi  and  Atlantic  ave 

Nassau  uve,  bet  Lorimer  and  Diamond  sts  

Portland  ave,  east  side,  bet  Lafayette  i.nd  DeKalh| 

aves  

Penn  st,  bet  Marcy  and  Harrison  av<»   

President  si,  bet  Fifth  and  Sixth  aves   

Park  pi,  bet  Classon  and  Franklin  aves   


$3,100  07 
2380  47 


$5,481  14 
15  040  04 


$1,266  81 


$207,268  00 
6,042  10 


$213,301  00 


Dec  2, 1876.... 

si 70  45 

Oct  5. 1877. . . . 

57  s.-j 

609  75 

Oct  27,  1877... 

168  46 

May  5,  1877... 

928  50 

287  82 

Jan*  27,  1877.. 

125  00 

2s;  ti!) 

70:>  44 

08  45 

114  00 

Aug  31,  1877. . 

9,188  18 

Oct  5,  1877. . . 

2S6  11 

161  16 

Jan  27,  1877.. 

54  M 

Am::n,  1S77.  . 

415  69 

March  10,  1877 

02  22 

May  10,  is::. . 

560  16 

Aug  81,  1877. . 

176  64 

<  >ci  .").  ls77  

26  47 

Oct  27,  1877... 

012  50 

Oct  15,  1877... 

4S  25 

Od  27,  1877... 

251  21 

366  51 

Nov  24,  1877. . 

100  60 

9 


66 


FLAGGING. — (C07lti?lUed.) 


Stuyvesant  ave.  bet  Fulton  ave  and  Broadway. 

Sixth  ave,  bet  Lincoln  pi  and  Macomb  st  

Seventh  st,  bet  Fourth  and  Fifth  aves   

Thioop  ave,  bet  Gates  ave  and  Kosciusko  st. . . 

Varet  st,  bel  Bogart  st  and  Bushwick  ave  

Yates  ave,  bel  Halsey  st  and  Fulton  av  


FENCING. 

Ainslie  st,  south  side,  bet  Ninth  and  Tenth  sts. 

Bridge  and  Plymouth  sts,  at  s  w  corner  

Cumberland  st,  bet  Park  and  Flushing  aves. . . 

Devoe  st,  bet  Bushwick  ave  and  Olive  st  

DeKalb  ave,  bet  Broadway  and  Myrtle  ave  .  . 
Gates  ave,  bet  Bedford  and  Nostrand  aves  .... 

Grand  ave,  bet  Myrtle  and  DeKalb  aves  

Hudson  and  Park  a'ves,  Navy  and  Concord  sts, 

block  bouuded  by  

Harrison  si,  bet  Hicks  and  Columbia  sts  

Harrison  and  Marcy  aves,  Penn  and  Rutledge  sts, 

block  bounded  by  

Leonard  st,  w  side,  bet  Norman  and  Nassau  aves 
Lafayette  ave,  s  side,  200  feet  east  of  Franklin  av 
Madison  st,  n  side',  bet  Bedford  and  Nostrand  avs 
Monroe  st,  s  side 

Madison  st,  bet  Nostrand  and  Marcy  aves  

North  Ninth  st,  s  w  corner  of  Third  st  

Ninth  st,  s  side,  100  feet  west  of  Third  ave  

Oxford  st,  bet  Park  and  Flushing  aves  

Pacific  st,  n  side,  bet  Grand  and  Classon  aves. . . 
Putnam  ave,  n  side,  bet  Nostrand  and  Marcy  aves 
Schenck  st  and  Classon  ave,  bet  Flushing  and 

Park  aves  

Twelfth  st,  bet  Second  and  Third  aves  

Underbill  av,  n  east  corner  of  J  Jean  st  

Utica  ave,  n  west  corner  of  Herkimer  st  

Van  Buren  st,  Lafayette,  Grand  :  nd  Classon  aves 

block  bounded  by  

Van  Buren  st,  bet  St.  James  pi  and  Grand  ave. .  . 

Withers  st,  n  east  corner  of  Leonard  st  

Warren  st,  bet  Fourth  and  Fifth  aves  

Wyckoffst,         "  "   

Willoughby  and  Kent  aves,  and  Graham  st  


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


AMOUNT. 


Jan  27,  1877  . 
Sep  29,  1877  . 
Aug  31,  1877. 
Jan  27,  1877  . 
Dec  4.  1876. . 
Jan  27,  1877  . 


DIGGING  DOWN  LOTS. 

Bergen  st,  n  side,  75  feet  west  of  Grand  ave  

Elliott  pi,  w  side,  147  feet  south  of  DeKalb  ave. 
Fifteenth  st,  bet  Sixth  and  Seventh  aves  


Jan  27,  1877  . 

Aug  31,  1877. 
Mch  10,  1877. 

Aug  31,  1877. 
Oct  27,  1877  . 

Mch  5,  1877  . 
Au»-  31,  1877. 


Jan  27,  1877  . 
Aug  31,  1877. 


NoV  24,  1877. 
Jan  27, 1877  . 


Aug  31,  1877. 

u 

Nov  24,  1877, 


$22,065  63 


May  5,  1877.  . 
Oct  6,  1877.. 
Aug  31,  1877. 
Oct  6,1877.. 

May  5,  1877. 


Oct  27,  1877  . 
Nov  24,  1877. 


Oct  5,  1877. . 
Aug  31,  1877. 


$3,24S  10 


$48  16 

1,111  26 

200  77 

$1,360  19 


67 


FILLING  AND  GRADING  LOTS. 


Meeker  ave,  bet  Graham  ave  and  Ewen  st. 
Richardson  st,  bet  Herbert  and  Ewen  sts. . 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  STREETS. 

Court  and  other  sis,  variously  closing,  opening, 
widening  and  extending  on  the  lands  of  Wm. 

Beard  and  Jer'h  P.  Robinson  

Cook  st,  opening  from  Btudiwick  ave  to  White  st 
Elizabeth  st,  closing  from  Ferris  st  to  bulkhead. 
Ferris  st,  closing  from  Elizabeth  st  to  " 
St.  Mark's  ave,  opening  from  Albany  ave  to  City 
Line  


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


May  5,  1877, 


May  5,  187*3  . 
Aug  31,  1877. 


Nov  24,  1877. 


A  MO  l  NT. 


ST.-,  !KJ 

69  51 
$145  44 


$137  10 
358  43 
152  38 
152  38 

16,400  99 

;17,201  28 


68 


SCHEDULE  E. 

Local  Assessments  recinded  by  the  Common  Council,  or  returned 
to  that  body,  not  assessed  because  of  irregularity : 


TITLE    OF  IMPROVEMENT. 


GAS-LAMPS  AND  POSTS. 

Atlantic  ave,  Flatbush  to  Clas- 

son  ave  

Butler  st,  southeast  cor  of  Fifth 

ave  

Court  st,  southeast  cor  Atlan- 
tic ave  

Conselyea  st,  bet  Bushwick 

and  Myrtle  aves  

Morton  st,  bet  Bedford  and 

Kent  aves  

Ninth  st,  bet  Second  and  Sixth 

aves  

Prospect  st,  bet  Bridge  and 

Jay  sts   

Schemerhorn  st,  southeast  cor 

of  Kevins  st  

Sixteenth  st,  bet   Fifth  and 

Sixth  aves  

Warren  st,  bet  Carlton  and 

Vanderbilt  aves  


Date  when  recind- 
ed by  the  C.  C. 


April  30,  1877. 


April  16,  1877. 
March  5,  1877. 


Oct.  31,1877 


Date  when  returned 
to  C..C.  because  of 
irregularity. 


June  23,  1877. 


June  23,  1877. 


June  23,  1877. 


July  2. 


June  23, 1871 


North  Second  street  widening  for  lands  and  buildings  to  be  taken 
and  expenses  incidental  thereto,  amounting  to.   

In  this  matter  the  Board  of  Assessors  did  not  apportion,  but  re- 
ported that  in  their  judgment  the  property  would  not  be  bene- 
fitted to  the  extent  of  the  cost. 


1322,948  50 


69 


SCHEDULE  F. — (Reductions.) 

Assessments  in  which  the  proportion  of  benefit  to  any  lot  exceeds 
the  limit  of  value  : 


TITLE  OF  THE  IMPROVEMENT. 

TOTAL 
COST. 

AMOUNTS 
REDUCED. 

BALAN<  Bfl 
ASSESSED. 

GRADING*  AND  PAVING. 

Albany  ave,  Herkimer  si  to  the  City  Line. 

First  st,  Third  to  Fifth  ave  

Second  ave,  Hamilton  ave  to  Sixth  st. . . 
Seventh  ave,  First  st  to  Greenwood  j 

$75,877  81 
67,402  73 
164,104  85 

50,710  42 

$22,234  80 
55,180  58 
84,503  70 

4,223  52 

$53,663  01 
12,222  15 
79,601  15 

46,486  90 

$358,115  81 

$166,142  60 

$191,973  21 

SCHEDULE  G. 


Local  Assessments  remaining  with  Board  of  Assessors,  December 
1,  1877,  awaiting  completion : 


WHEN 
RECEIVED. 

TITLE. 

AMOUNT. 

WHEN  TO  BE 
COMPLETED 
,OF  THOSE 
ADVERTISED. 

July  18,  1877 

Nov  28,  1877 
Nov  28,  1877 

GRADING  AND  MACADAMIZING. 

Green  point  ave,  from  Blissville  Bridge  [ 

GRADING  AND  PAVING. 

Utica  ave,  from  Herkimer  st  to  City  Line. 

FENCING. 

Classon  ave,  southeast  cor  Van  Buren  st. 
Lexington,  Bedford  and  Franklin  aves/ 
and  Qoincy  st,  block  bounded  by. .  \ 

$27,592  15 

70,375  85 

106  01 
160  7!' 

Dec.  15,  1S7T 
Dec  15,  1877 

$98,224  83 

70 


SCHEDULE  H. 
Preliminary  Estimates  for  proposed  Street  Improvements. 


GRADING   AND  FAYING. 


WHEN 
COMPLETED. 


AMOUNT. 


Ellery  st,  from  Nostrand  to  Marcy  ave  Dec  26,  1876. 

Pulaski  st,  from  Lewis  to  Stuyvesant  ave   " 

Oak  st,  from  West  to  Franklin  st  Feb  26,  187*.. 

Box  st,  from  Commercial  st  to  Union  pi.    " 

Ash  st,ifrom  Union  pi  to  Oakland  st. . . .    " 

Middletonst,  from  Lee  to  Marcy  ave  * .  . .   March  5,  187' 

Gwinnett  st,  from  Lee  to  Marcy  ave   March  12,  187' 

Ellery  st,  from  Yates  ave  to  Broadway  May  12,  1877. 

Bainbridge  st,  from  Reid  to  Patchen  ave   May  28,  1877. 

Lewis  ave,  from  Monroe  to  Halsey  st   .  May  12,  1877. 

Bergen  st,  from  Troy  to  Schenectady  ave   May  28,  1877. 

Lexington  ave,  from  Stuyvesant. to  Reid  av         |  " 

Howard  ave,  Halsey  to  Fulton  st  I 

Lynch  st,  Harrison  to  Marcy  ave   " 

Franklin  ave,  from  Flushing  ave  to  Wallaboutst 

and  Wythe  ave  from  WaUaboufcto  Rutledge  si         '  " 
Evergreen  ave,  from  Myrtle  ave  to  Stanhope  st  .  Sept  29,  1877. 

Hayward  st,  from  Bedford  to  Lee  ave  | 

Huron  st,  from  West  st  to  the  Bulkhead  |  " 

Hancock  st,  from  Patchen  ave  to  Broadway   " 

Jefferson  st,  from  Ralph  to  Patchen  ave   " 

Hart  st,  from  Lewis  to  Stuyvesant  ave  


GRADING. 


Norman  ave,  from  Humboldt  st  to  Jewell  st  Jan  27,  1877. 

Bush  st,  from  Hicks  to  Dwight  st  [May  28,  1877. 

Green  point  ave,  fr  Blissville  bridge  to  Oakland  si. Nov  24,  1877. 


GRADING,  CURBING  AND  GUTTERING. 

Two  feet  along  each  side  of  gutter  of  Union  ave, 
from  Withers  st  to  Yan  Cott  ave  


*In  the  the  two  cases  marked  there  are  lots  on 
which  the  estimated  assessment  would  exce<  d 
the  value — the  cost  of  these  is  


Feb  3,1877. 


Leaving  the  amount  of  those  that  may  be  pr 
ceeded  with  t  


JOHN  TKUSLOW, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Assessors. 
Brooklyn,  December,  1877. 


REPORT 

« 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OF  COLLECTION. 


Department  of  Collection,  j 
Rooms  6.  7,  and  8,  City  Hall,  - 
Brooklyn,  December  18,  1877.  ) 

The  Hon.  James  Howell,  Mayor  elect: 

My  Dear  Sir: 

In  response  to  yours  of  November  21.  I  have  the  honor  to 
enclose  herein  certain  statistical  information  regarding  matters 
under  the  charge  of  this  department,  which,  I  think,  may  be  of 
aid  to  you  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  soon  to  devolve  upon 
you  as  chief  magistrate  of  this  city,  and  of  interest  to  your  con- 
stituency. 

My  incumbency  of  this  position  has  been  so  brief  that  I  feel  a 
natural  delicacy  aboSt  thus  early  offering  any  suggestions  re- 
garding the  department;  but  believing  by  vour  course  regarding 
a  new  jail  for  this  county,  that  it  is  your  purpose  to  administer 
the  government  economically,  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  assure 
you  that  we  shall  be  able  in  this  branch  of  the  city  government 
to  fully  co  operate  with  you. 

You  will  observe,  by  the  enclosed  statistics,  that  the  amount  to 
be  raised  by  taxation  during  the  year  commencing  December  1, 
1877,  is  nearly  one  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  dollars  less 
than  it  was  in  the  preceding  twelve  months.  I  believe  this  de 
partment  can  be  run  for  from  twelve  thousand  dollars  to  fifteen 
thousand  dollars  less  per  year  than  it  has  recently  cost  the  city, 
and  it  is  my  aim  to  do  this. 

There  are  several  matters  which  in  the  near  future  I  shall 
make  the  subject  of  further  communication  or  personal  consulta- 
tion with  your  Honor — matters  which,  in  my  opinion,  are  of  im- 
portance in  the  interests  of  an  economical  administration  of  the 
city  government 


72 


My  attention  has  been  by  circumstances  particularly  called  to 
the  duties  and  work  of  that  portion  of  the  employees  of  this 
office,  known  as  Deputy  Collectors  of  Assessments.  The  title  is 
something  of  a  misnomer,  considering  the  fact  that  collections 
consist  solely  of  their  monthly  salary.  Their  ostensible  duties 
consist  of  the  delivery  of  assessment  bills  and  the  levying  of 
personal  taxes. 

Up  to  the  time  I  assumed  the  duties  of  this  office  ten  persons 
had  been  employed,  or  rather  paid,  in  this  capacity. 

A  computation  of  their  labor  during  the  past  year  shows  that 
they  delivered  on  an  average  four  and  one-half  bills  per  day  per 
man,  at  a  cost  per  bill  of  about  sixty  cents  /  and  considering  the 
fact  that  frequently  several  bills  are  delivered  to  one  person  or 
at  one  address,  the  cost  per  delivery  has  averaged  about  one  dollar. 

I  have  already  abolished  three  of  the  ten  positions,  and  shall  at 
an  early  day  abolish  three  or  four  of  the  remaining  seven.  The 
law  provides  that  the  bills  of  assessment  shall  be  delivered  within 
twentu  days  of  the  levy.  If  the  Common  Council  will  make  all 
confirmations  of  such  assessments  between  the  first  clay  of  Feb- 
ruary and  the  tenth  day  of  November  of  each  year,  I  shall  be 
able  to  dispense  with  the  whole  force  of  so-called  Deputy  Col- 
lectors, and  have  the  deliveries  made  by  the  inside  force  of  the 
office  within  the  above  specified  dates,  when  there  is  not  a  super- 
abundance of  work  in  the  office. 

In  conclusion,  permit  me  to  state  that  I  should  have  sent  you 
the  enclosed  statement  sooner  had  not  the  annual  rush  of  tax- 
payers commencing  December  1st  retarded  its  earlier  preparation. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JAS.  TANNEK, 

Collector. 


Collections  from  December  1,  1876,  to  November  30,  1877  : 

Taxes  $5,663,356  03 

Special  Improvements   198,386  97 

Payments  in  full  of  Special  Improvements  .  ....  17,310  60 

Assessments  '   182,506  61 

Default  and  interest  on  taxes  and  special  improve- 
ments   60,453  77 

Default  on  assessments   4,393  53 


Total 


$6,126,407  51 


73 


Miscellaneous : 

Number  of  assessments  received  for  collection,  229. 
Amount  of  assessments  received  for  collection  . .    $874,327  23 
Number  ot  assessments  transferred  to  Registrar  of 


Arrears   93. 

Amount  of  assessments  transferred  to  Registrar  of 

Arrears   590,684  07 

Amount  of  taxes  transferred  to  Registrar  of  Ar- 
rears, November  30,  1877   1,733,128  98 

Amount  of  special  improvements  transferred  Nov. 

30,  1877   399,523  43 

Statement  of  taxes  and  installments  of  Special  Improvements 
confirmed  December  1,  1876  : 

Valuation  of  real  estate   $213,219,043  00 

"        personal  property   13,878,580  00 


$227,097,623  00 

Amount  of  Warrants  as  confirmed  : 
Taxes  $7,394,380  73 

Special  Improvements  in  Roll  : 

South  Seventh  street  widening  $28,368  70 

u              "     grading   K>,4<>4  63 

Bushwick  ave.  and  Morrell  street  widening   12,930  92 

"        curbing,  etc   20,880  9S 

Central  avenue  sewer   .'   94,532  26 

Metropolitan  avenue   2,248  57 

Special  Improvements  not  in  Rolls  : 

Prospect  Park   $144,356  90 

Sackett  street   158,578  37 

Gowanus  Canal   32,151  40 

Third  street   21.154  92 

Fourth  avenue   13.219  34 

Atlantic  avenue   21,298  06 

Union  street   36,260  49 

RECAPITULATION. 

Tax   $7,394,380  73 

Special  improvements  in  rolls   169,366  06 

"  not  in  rolls   427,019  48 


Total  $7,990,766  27 

10 


74 


Statement  of  Taxes  and  Installments  of  Special  Improvements, 

confirmed  December  1,  1877  : 

Valuation  of  real  estate  $216,481,801  00 

"  personal  property   13,111,215  50 


Total  valuation  $229,593,016  50 

Tax  on  real  estate   $6,859,571  22 

"     "  personal  property   418,507  35 


Total  tax   $7,278,078  57 

Special  Improvements  in  Kolls: 

South  Seventh  street  widening   $26,757  75 

"     grading,  etc   9,827  46 

Bushwick  avenue  and  Morrell  street  widening  .  .  12  257  59 

"                          "         curbing,  etc.  12,492  37 

Central  avenue  sewer   48,724  59 

Special  Improvements  not  in  Ebll : 

Prospect  Park   $138,259  62 

Sack ett  street   151,190  88 

Gowanus  Canal  :   33,909  20 

Third  street   21,H92  73 

Fourth  avenue   12,598  01 

Atlantic  avenue   19,856  28 

Union  street   11,946  17 

Kent  avenue  basin   33,782  14 

dock   984  86 

RECAPITULATION. 

General  tax.  ...   $7,278,078  57 

Special  improvements  in  tax  roll   110,059  76 

not  in  tax  roll   424,519  89 


Total     $7,812,058  22 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OF  ARREARS. 


Department  of  Arrears, 
Nos.  40  and  42  Court  street,  opposite  City  Ilall, 
Brooklyn,  December  4,  1877. 
Hon.  James  Howell,  Jr.,  Mayor  elect  of  Brooklyn  : 
Dear  Sir  : 

In  compliance  with  your  request  by  letter  of  November  21, 
I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  full  statement  of  the 
moneys  collected  in  this  department  from  December  1,  1876,  to 
December  1,  1877,  together  with  a  statement  of  the  amount  of 
taxes  and  assessments,  including  the  year  1876,  remaining 
unpaid. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

RUFCJS  L.  SCOTT, 

Registrar  of  Arrears 

Brooklyn,  December  5,  1877. 
Statement  of  unpaid  Taxes,  Assessments  and  Water  Kates  on 
December  1,  1877,  received  by  Department  of  Arrears,  for 
collection  : 

Taxes  1875,  and  prior  years  $4,066,959  75 

"     1876,  estimated   2,000,000  00 

 §6,066,959  75 

Water  rates   322,740  16 

Assessments  for  street  improvements,  including 

sewerage,  opening  and  widening  streets,  etc . .      3,402,024  51 

Total  amount  of  principal  Dec.  1,  1877,  unpaid    $9,791,724  42 

Note— Unpaid  principal  as  above   £9.791.724  42 

Estimate  ten  per  cent,  default  and  interest   979,172  44 


Estimated  aggregate  of  collection  unpaid....  $10,770,896  86 


76 


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CITY  AUDITOR. 


Auditors  Office.  44  Court  street,  ) 
Brooklyn,  January  1,  1878.  j 

Hon.  J'Uiies.Howelh  Jr.,  Mayor,  etc.  : 

Sir: 

In  reply  to  your  communication  of  November  21,  1877,  I  re- 
spectfully submit  the  following  statement  of  the  business  of  this 
department  from  the  date  of  the  last  report  of  December  SS, 
1876: 

Number  of  claims  audited,  7,515. 
Amount  of  claims.  $3,851,2(51  42 

distribution  of  accounts. 

General  fund  $3,583,852  16 

Special  fund     254,3S4  19 

Revenue  fund   13,025  (|7 

The  report  rendered  weekly  to  the  Common  Council  in  com- 
pliance with  the  law,  shows  in  detail  the  name  of  the  persons 
and  the  amounts  of  the  several  claims  audited,  all  of  which  will 
be  found  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  the  Board. 

Kespectfully  submitted, 

WM.  S.  SEARING, 

Auditor. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OF  HEALTH. 


Department  of  Health,  ) 
Office  of  the  Board  of  Health,  No.  66  Court  at,  [ 
Brooklyn,  Dec.  1,  1877.  ) 

lion.  James  Howell,  Jr.,  Mayor : 
Sir  : 

The  sanitary  work  of  this  department,  from  January  1  to  date, 
shows :  % 

Inspections  made  by  sanitary  inspectors   10,531 

Complaints  made  by  the  same  .    4,947 

Orders  issued  for  the  abatement  of  nuisances   1,344 

Butcher-shop  and  slaughter-house  inspections   11,871 

Privy-vaults  emptied,  cleaned  and  disinfected   3,098 

Permits  given  to  discharge  cargoes  and  docks    3,^76 

The  cases  of  contagious  diseases  reported  for  the  same  time 
are  : 

Diphtheria   2.167 

Scarlet  fever   2,411 

Cerebro-spinal  meningitis   13 

Typhoid  fever   141 

Small  pox   80 

The  deaths  from  scarlet  fever  and  diphtheria  to  the  close  of 
forty-seventn  week  of  1877,  as  compared  with  those  of  1876,  are 
as  follows  : 

1876.  1877. 

Diphtheria    725  715 

Scarlet  fever   297  665 

It  will  be  seen  that  scarlet  fever  and  diphtheria  have  been  very 
prevalent  during  the  year,  and  are  now  a  scourge  in  our  midst. 

II 


82 


The  Board  have  endeavored  in  every  possible  way  to  prevent 
the  spread  of  these  diseases,  which  are  to  be  dreaded,  not  alone 
because  they  cause  so  many  deaths,  bat  also  because  they  leave 
behind  in  those  who  recover,  paralysis,  deafness,  kidney  disease, 
etc.,  of  which  Health  records  give  no  adequate  idea.  It  has  not, 
however,  a  staff  sufficient  to  give  these  diseases  the  care  and 
treatment  they  properly  demand.  The  Board  has  prepared  a  cir- 
cular calling  attention  to  the  prevalence  of  these  diseases,  to  their 
dangers,  and  to  the  necessity  of  complete  isolation  of  the  sick 
from  the  well,  and  especially  the  absence  from  school,  until  all 
possibility  of  communicating  the  disease,  to  others  has  passed, 
with  explicit  instructions  as  to  the  sanitary  care  of  the  patient 
during  sickness,  the  disinfection  of  bedding  and  clothing,  and  the 
fumigation  of  the  room  after  recovery.  This  is  sent  at  once  up- 
on the  receipt  of  the  report  of  a  case  to  the  family  in  which  the 
sickness  occurs,  and  the  principals  of  the  public  schools  are  daily 
notified  of  all  cases  of  contagious  disease  occurring  in  their  re- 
spective districts  and  directed  to  exclude  from  school  all  children 
from  the  infected  house  until  danger  has  passed.  The  Board  also 
requires  that  funerals  in' these  cases  shall  be  strictly  private,  and 
the*  body  of  the  deceased  to  be  enclosed  in  a  tight  coffin ;  this  ac- 
tion was  made  necessary  by  the  habit  that  was  general  with 
people  of  all  ages  of  attending  these  funerals,  supplemented  by 
the  still  more  dangerous  one  of  caressing  and  kissing  the  de- 
ceased. 

Since  July  no  case  of  small-pox  has  been  reported — a  most  re- 
markable condition  of  things  for  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  This 
immunity  is  due  to  the  vigorous  and  skillful  manner  in  which 
vaccination  has  been  carried  out,  and  also  to  the  excellent  vaccine 
which  has  been  employed.  Nothing  is  more  needed  in  our  city 
than  a  corps  of  competent  vaccinators  who  shall  be  constantly  on 
duty,  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  people  and  destroying  the 
soil  in  which  small  pox  breeds.  Nowhere  is  it  more  true  than 
here,  that  "an  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure." 

The  Board  has  endeavored  by  systematic  inspection  and  com- 
plaint to  abolish  the  old-fashioned  cobble-stone  privy-vault,  whose 
sides  and  bottom  are  so  constructed  as  to  permit  its  filthy  con- 
tents to  soak  into  the  surrounding  soil,  making  it  impure  and  a 
generator  of  disease.  Hundreds  of  them  have  been  filled,  and 
before  another  Summer  it  is  expected  that  the  number  will  be  in- 
creased to  thousands. 

A  great  step  in  sanitary  reform  has  been  taken  in  the  substitu- 
tion for  the  open  buckets  and  carts  in  the  removal  of  the  night 
soil  of  the  odorless  process  by  pumps  and  air-tight  tubs.  Words 


83 


cannot  describe  the  disgusting  scenes  enacted  under  cover  of 
night  by  the  old  system.  Happily  they  are  now  among  the 
things  of  the  past,  never  to  be  again  witnessed,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
in  this  community. 

The  Board  has  directed  especial  attention  to  the  inspection  of 
the  milk  offered  for  sale  in  this  city.  This  inspection  has  de- 
monstrated that  this  essential  food  of  half  our  population  is 
watered  and  otherwise  adulterated  to  a  frightful  extent.  The 
prosecution  of  those  found  selling  such  milk  has  been  attended 
by  the  most  gratifying  results.  In  almost  every  cnse  the  accused 
has  plead  guilt}',  and  the  fines  imposed  in  time  will  more  than 
pay  the  cost  of  prosecution  (although  this  department  derives 
no  benefit  from  them),  while  the  improvement  in  the  quality  of 
the  milk  sold  will  show  itself  in  increased  health  and  reduced 
mortality.  The  inspection  of  cow-stables  and  their  care  and 
supervision  has  put  a  stop  to  the  feeding  of  distillery 
swill,  and  has  given  to  the  dumb  beasts  therein  confined 
an  amount  of  fresh  air  and  comfort  they  have  never  before 
enjoyed.  No  wholesome  milk  without  healthy  cows,  is  a  sani- 
tary maxim  ;  and  the  efforts  of  the  Board  to  furnish  to  the 
young  and  growing  a  food  adapted  to  their  wants,  have  been 
crowned  with  a  large  measure  of  success. 

The  appointment  of  consulting  plumbers  by  the  Board  has 
been  the  means  of  bringing  to  light  a  condition  of  things  never 
even  anticipated  by  the  sanitary  authorities  of  this  city.  The 
most  glaring  neglect  of  all  precautions  to  prevent  the  entrance  of 
sewer-gas  into  dwelling  and  sleeping-rooms  has  been  discovered 
in  the  best  and  most  expensively-constructed  houses.  This  is  a 
matter  which  should  command  the  most  serious  attention  of  our 
city  authorities.  The  Legislature  has  given  us  ample  powers  for 
the  supervision  of  the  construction  of  walls  and  tire  escapes,  but 
has  placed  no  restriction  on  the  manner  in  which  dwellings  are 
connected  with  the  sewer,  or  their  drains  and  soil-pipes  are  ar- 
ranged. Hundreds  of  cases  of  diphtheria  have  been  traced  to 
defective  plumbing,  and  it  is  time  that  some  measures  should  be 
taken  to  require  all  plans  for  house  drainage  to  be  submitted  to 
competent  men  before  they  are  carried  into  execution. 

The  following  items  are  from  the  statistics  of  tins  department, 
and  afford  a  comparison  between  the  births,  marriages  and  deaths 
recorded  in  1876  and  1877 : 


84 


March,  Dec, 

1876.  1877.  1877.  1877. 

Burial  permits  issued  12,488  11,661    827 

Births  reported                           5,739  9,659  3,920 

Marriages  reported                 ...  2,131  2,835  704 

Actual  deaths  to  December  1 . . .  11,028  10,377    651 

Average  deaths  per  week  ......     235  221  ....  14 

Annual  death-rate  per  1000  pop.,  24 . 14  21.76    2  38 

The  above  shows  the  gratifying  fact  that  the  death-rate  of  this 
city,  which  last  year  was  reduced  much  .below  that  of  the  year 
before,  has  undergone  a  still  more  decided  reduction  during  1877. 
In  1875  the  deaths  per  thousand  numbered  26  ;  in  1876,  24  ; 
in  1877,  21.76.  This  rate  compares  favorably  with  that  of  other 
large  cities  in  the  United  States,  and  is  rapidly  approximating 
what  may  be  termed  the  "  normal "  death-rate  which  should  ob- 
tain throughout  civilized  communities,  and  which  has  been  cal- 
culated by  scientists  at  17  per  thousand  of  the  living  population. 
By  this  is  meant  the  number  of  deaths  that  would  ocGur  besides 
those  resulting  from  diseases  termed  preventable,  which  it  is 
especially  the  duty  of  the  city  authorities  to  eradicate  or  prevent. 
The  difference  between  this  rate  and  the  rate  actually  prevailing 
represents  the  amount  of  sanitary  work  yet  undone  in  any  com- 
munity, showing  as  it  does  the  actual  number  of  lives  that  might 
have  been  saved  by  the  enforcement  and  observance  of  known 
sanitary  laws  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  and  the  people. 

Thus  the  difference  between  the  death-rate  in  this  city  this 
year  (21 .76)  and  what  it  should  not  exceed  (17),  or  4.76  in  every 
thousand  of  population,  represents  2,513  deaths  from  preventable 
diseases,  the  loss  of  which  the  city  should  have  been  spared. 

The  effort  of  this  department  has  been  to  search  out  the  causes 
of  this  excessive  death-rate,  and  when  found  to  eradicate  them. 
The  degree  of  success  attending  upon  its  efforts  has  been  in  the 
past,  as  it  must  be  in  the  future,  dependent  upon  the  means 
placed  at  its  command  with  which  to  .do  its  work. 

There  are  as  exact  sanitary  laws  which  govern  the  death-rate 
of  a  city  as  there  are  mathematical  rules  or  scientific  principles 
upon  which  a  house  or  a  machine  must  be  constructed.  This 
has  been  fully  demonstrated  in  those  cities  where  a  rigid  applica- 
tion of  these  laws  has  resulted  in  a  steady  reduction  of  the  mor- 
tality rates  from  year  to  year,  until  some  of  the  unhealthiest 
communities  have  come  to  be  proverbial  for  their  healthfulness. 

It  would  appear  that  so  important  a  matter  as  the  preservation 
of  life  and  health  should  engage  the  first  attention  of  our  citi- 


86 


zens  and  their  representatives  in  the  management  of  the  city 
government ;  and  when  it  is  shown  that  2,c00  lives  that  might 
have  been  saved  are  sacrificed  in  Brooklyn  in  one  year,  it  would 
especially  seem  as  if  the  pecuniary  question  should  not  for  a  mo- 
ment be  taken  into  consideration  or  allowed  to  weigh  against 
what  are  so  evidently  the  true  interests  of  humanity. 

The  efficiency  of  this  department  is  greatly  crippled  by  the 
meagreness  of  its  appropriations.  Though  its  duties  have  stead- 
ily increased  since  1S73,  owing  to  the  increase  of  population, 
tenement-houses,  private  dwellings  and  factories,  its  appropria- 
tions have  been  as  steadily  curtailed.  Could  this  Board  have 
sufficient  funds  to  carry  forward  rapidly  a  thorough  inspection  of 
house  drainage  in  nil  parts  of  the  city,  to  examine  and  trace  to 
their  source  the  thousands  of  cases  of  zymotic  diseases,  to  or- 
ganize and  employ  a  competent  corps  ot  vaccinators  to  enforce 
a  proper  treatment  as  to  isolation  and  disinfection  in  all  cases  of 
contagious  disease,  and  to  cause  a  systematic  inspection  and  test 
of  the  more  important  articles  of  food  entering  into  the  city's 
daily  consumption,  it  feels  assured,  from  its  past  experience,  that 
hundreds  of  valuable  lives  might  be  saved  annually. 

By  order  of  the  Board, 

H.  A.  LA  FETRA, 

Secretary. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OF  POLICE  AND  EXCISE. 


Department  of  Police  axd  Excise,  ) 
Commissioners  Office,  cor.  Court  and  Livingston  Sts.,  > 
Brooklyn,  December  5,  1877.  ) 

James  Howell,  Esq.  : 
Sir: 

In  response  to  your  request  for  information  relative  to  this  de- 
partment, this  Board  respectfully  submits  the  following  statistics, 
with  occasional  inferences  fairly  deducible  therefrom. 

On  the  first  of  December,  1877,  the  police  force  of  this  city 
comprised  the  following — viz.  : 


Superintendent   1 

Inspector    1 

Drill  captain   1 

Captains  •   18 

Sergeants   61 

Roundsmen   30 

Patrolmen   485 

Doormen   32 

Total   624 


Of  the  485  patrolmen  thus  employed,  94  are  at  present  stationed 
at  the  various  offices  of  the  municipal  departments  and  the  courts 
of  the  city  and  county,  leaving  only  391  for  patrol  duty. 

By  act  of  the  Legislature  the  number  of  patrolmen  that  may 
be  employed  by  this  department  by  consent  of  the  Common 
Council  is  50O.  The  appropriations  heretofore  made  by  the  Com- 
mon Council  for  the  pay  of  patrolmen  have  not, been  sufficient 
to  meet  the  cost  of  employing  the  maximum  number. 

In  addition  to  the  necessary  reduction  of  the  force  for  patrol 
duty,  by  reason  of  assignments  to  the  various  departmental  of- 


88 


fices,  and  city  and  county  courts,  there  are  other  incidental  de- 
pletions from  sickness  of  the  members  and  from  other  accidental 
causes. 

The  extent  and  severity  of  the  duties  performed  by  each  mem- 
ber of  the  police  force,  on  regular  patrol  duty,  will  readily  be 
seen  by  the  inspection  of  the  following  table,  taken  from  page 
2  6  of  the  annual  report  of  this  department  for  the  year  1875  : 

Table  17. 


Containing  the  number  of  day  and  night  posts  in  the  several 
Precincts,  with  area  patrolled,  the  population  of  same,  and 
number  of  officers  to  population. 


Precincts. 

Day  Posts. 

Night 
Posts. 

Number  of  Re- 
gistered Voters. 

Population  of 
Precincts. 

Officers  to 
Population. 

9 

17 

6,943 

44,341 

1  to  963 

9 

15 

3,647 

24,565 

1  to  663 

third  

10 

20 

9,130 

57,463 

1  to  1149 

8 

15 

9,380 

58,963 

1  to  1281 

Fifth  

10 

20 

10,152 

63,595 

1  lo  1096 

Sixth  

7 

14 

7,409 

47,137 

1  to  1178 

Seventh   

6 

11 

3,823 

25,621 

1  to  948 

Eighth  

5 

10 

3,972 

26,515 

1  to  1019 

7 

14 

3,485 

23,593 

1  to  589 

Tenth   ... 

7 

14 

5,577 

36,145 

1  to  1063 

Eleventh   

5 

10 

3,647 

24,565 

1  to  944 

Twelfth  

6 

12 

2,207 

15,925 

1  to  549 

Sixth  Sub   

4 

8 

2,872 

19.915 

1  to  905 

Eighth  Sub  

2 

4 

•  583 

6,911 

1  to  460 

Ninth  Sub..  

5 

7 

1,233 

9,362 

1  to  407 

Totals  

100 

191 

74,060 

484,616 

1  to  933 

Miles  of  street  in  city,  546.19. 

Average  length  of  each  day  post,  5  miles,  3  furlongs,  23  rods, 
2  yards. 

Average  length  of  each  night  post,  2  miles,  6  furlongs,  34  rods, 
4  yards. 

A  comparison  of  the  statistical  tables,  to  be  found  in  the  last 
annual  reports  of  the  Police  Departments  of  the  chief  cities  of  the 
United  States,  with  those  found  in  the  last  annual  report  sub- 
mitted by  this  department,  will  show  that  the  police  force  of 
Brooklyn  is,  from  every  point  of  view— and  especially  the  im- 
portant points  of  area,  population  and  number  of  arrests— far 
behind  the  other  cities  with  which  she  takes  rank,  or  which  she 


89 


eclipses  in  other  public  affairs ;  and  such  comparison  furthermore 
irresistibly  forces  the  conclusion — which  daily  observation  con- 
firms—that an  increase  in  our  police  force  is  one  of  the  most 
pressing  and  vital  necessities  of  our  city. 

The  Commissioners  of  this  department  avail  themselves  of  this 
opportunity  to  call  your  attention  to  the  utility  of  the  mounted 
squad  of  the  force,  and  the  necessity  of  its  increase.  Tliis  squad 
at  present  includes  a  sergeant  and  nine  men.  The  increase 
ought  to  be  at  least  up  to  fifteen  men.  The  records  of  this  de- 
partment contain  many  proofs  of  the  utility  of  this  branch  of  the 
force,  not  only  in  making  arrests  in  certain  difficult  cases,  but 
also  in  saving  life  and  property  in  runaway  accidents;  and  it 
also  is  of  great  service  in  clearing  the  way  for  civic  and  military 
processions.  The  bravery  and  efficiency  of  the  members  of  this 
branch  of  the  force,  and  the  success  which  has  attended  their  ef- 
forts to  save  life  and  property,  afford  a  full  justification  for  its 
creation,  and  conclusive  arguments  for  its  increase. 

The  number  of  patrolmen,  performing  special  duty  on  Decem- 


ber 1,  1877,  was  94,  detailed  as  follows : 

As  detectives   20 

At  Justice  Ferry's  court   4 

"        Riley's     "   3 

Bloom's   "   4 

Semler's  "    3 

Walsh's  "    4 

"        Elliott's  "    2 

"        Guck's     11    2 

At  various  ferries     7 

At  Health  office   14 

[Of  these  14  there  are  6  not  fit  for  patrol  duty.] 

As  meat  inspectors   2 

"  watchmen  at  Headquarters   3  superannuated. 

"  Messenger  to  Superintendent   1  disabled. 

At  Hack  Inspector's  office   2 

As  clerk  to  sergeant  of  C.  O.  squad   1  disabled. 

At  telegraph  office    1 

At  District  Attorney's  office  .   1 

(Ordered  on  patrol  Dec.  20,  1877). 

M  Mayor's  office   1  superannuated. 

u  Long  Island  Railroad  depot   2 

II  arbor- master   1 

On  day  duty  (unlit  for  full  duty)   4 


Total   94 

12 


90 


In  case  no  increase  of  the  police  force  shall  be  authorized  by 
the  Common  Council,  the  Commissioners  of  this  department 
would  respectfully  suggest  that  some  arrangement  be  devised 
whereby  the  members  fit  for  patrol  duty  may  be  relieved  from 
attendance  upon  the  various  courts  and  municipal  offices. 

We  venture  in  this  connection  to  commend  to  your  notice  a 
proposed  branch  of  the  force  of  this  department  to  which  we 
have  several  times  called  the  attention  of  the  Common  Council — 
namely :  the  organization  of  a  Eiver  and  Harbor  force.  Upon 
this  point  the  single  fact  that  there  are  upon  the  water-front  of 
this  city  many  large  warehouses  stored  with  the  most  valuable 
productions  of  this  and  foreign  countries,  bears  with  great  force." 
It  is  estimated  by  competent  judges  that  the  value  of  the  ware- 
houses upon  our  water-front,  and  of  the  goods  covered  by  them, 
is  not  less  than  $300,000,000. 

In  the  annual  report  of  this  department  for  the  year  1874  ap- 
peared the  following  language  : 

"  Nearly  all  the  piers  are  controlled  and  owned  by  private  per- 
sons, and  the  location  of  the  adjacent  warehouses  such  as  to  ren- 
der it  difficult  for  the  street  patrol  to  efficiently  guard  the  property 
in  the  day  time,  while  at  night,  when  the  gates  leading  to  the 
docks  are  closed,  it  is  impossible  for  the  officers  to  see  the  piers 
and  shipping,  or  to  render  assistance  even  if  they  knew  a  robbery 
was  actually  taking  place. 

"  This  is  not  an  exceptional  case,  but  is  the  condition  of  nearly 
if  not  quite  all  the  piers  and  warehouses  from  Growanus  bay  and 
canal  to  Newtown  creek — a  distance  of  about  seven  miles. 

"  The  number  and  capacity  of  both  warehouses  and  piers  are 
rapidly  increasing,  and  are  attracting  by  the  superior  facilities 
offered  a  very  large  amount  of  shipping,  and  it  is  essential  to  the 
interests  and  prosperity  of  trade  on  our  river  front  that  this  vast 
amount  of  property  be  so  securely  guarded  as  to  render  depreda- 
tions extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossible. 

"  In  order  to  do  this  a  Harbor  Police  is  an  absolute  necessity, 
and  should  be  established  without  delay. 

"  Two  steam  launches,  capable  of  carrying  from  seven  ten  men 
each,  would  furnish  ample  protection,  and  could  be  established 
and  maintained  at  a  moderate  expense." 

Three  years  have  elapsed  since  the  above  was  written,  and  the 
experience  of  those  years  has  added  force  to  the  points  made  in 
the  above  language. 


91 


Relative  to  the  Bureau  of  Excise,  the  Commissioners  of  this 
department  respectfully  submit  the  following  data : 

The  number  of  licenses  of  the  various  classes  described  in  the 
statute,  issued  from  January  1,  1877,  to  December  5,  1877,  was 
2,417. 

The  amount  of  fees  received  for  such  licenses  was  $  108,110. 
The  number  of  revocations  of  license  during  the  same  period 
was  11. 

The  Commissioners  are  gratified  in  being  able  to  state  that  the 
dealers  in  spirituous  and  malt  liquors  in  this  city  have  in  most 
instances  shown  a  ready  and  cheerful  disposition  to  comply  with 
the  terms  of  the  law  ;  and  that  the  execution  of  the  statute,*so 
far  as  it  is  imperative  upon  this  department,  has  been  such  as  to 
secure  the  endorsement  of  all  law-abiding  citizens. 

We  respectfully  transmit  with  this  communication,  as  afford- 
ing additional  and  detailed  information,  a  copy  of  the  last  annual 
report  of  this  department.  Any  further  or  special  information 
desired,  will,  upon  request,  be  cheerfully  furnished. 

Very  respectfully, 

JAMES  JOURDAN, 

President. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPARTMENT  OE  EIRE  &  BUILDINGS. 


Department  of  Fire  and  Buildings,  ) 
Office  of  Commissioners,  Jay  street,  near  Willoughby,  > 
Brooklyn,  December  5,  1877."  ) 
lion.  James  Howell,  Jr.,  Mayor  elect  : 
Dear  Sir: 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  report  of  the  opera- 
tions of  this. department  for  eleven  months  of  the  present  year, 
the  preparation  of  which  has  been  delayed  in  order  that  the 
statements  might  be  in  full  up  to  the  1st  of  December. 

Trusting  that  the  facts  may  be  of  value  to  you,  I  am 
Yours,  very  respectfully, 

DAVID  WILLIAMS, 

President 

Hon.  James  Howell,  Jr.,  Mayor  elect  : 
So: 

In  compliance  with  the  request  contained  in  your  communi- 
cation of  November  21st,  ult,  I  respectfully  submit  herewith  a 
report  of  the  operations  of  this  department  from  January  1,  1877, 
up  to  December  1, 1877  : 

FINANCIAL. 

The  appropriation  for  the  year  was   $386,250  00 

Balance  from  appropriation  of  1876   30,120  75 

Amount  derived  from  the  sale  of  property   1,553  73 

Total   $417,924  48 

The  expenditures  to  December  1  are   327,709  44 

Outstanding  liabilities  estimated.   60,127  20 

The  expenditures  in  detail  have  been  as  follows  : 

Salary   1279,019  78 

Feed  for  horses  *. .  . .        7,358  78 


94 


Gas   81,389  70 

Coal  and  wood   3,597  83 

General  supplies   3,321  14 

Material  for  repair  yard   2,638  30 

Stationery   691  00 

Horses   1,390  00 

Shoeing   1,930  12 

Eepairs  to  houses   3,830  13 

Contingent   1,527  75 

Telegraph.    1,180  91 

Eearranging  system  of  telegraph  lines   4,799  00 

Building  Engine-house  1 8  and  rebuilding  Others,  etc.  15,035  00 


Total  expenditure  to  December  1,  1877   $327,709  44 

Outstanding  liabilities  on  contracts  and  estimate  of  expendi- 
tures for  balance  of  the  year : 

Kent  of  premises  365  Jay  street   $1,250  00 

Balance  reserved  on  contract  of  Engine  2  and  Hook 

and  Ladder  1  house    275  00 

Contract  of  R  M.  Whiting  for  maps   1,317  00 

Balance  reserved  on  hose  contract  of  Messrs.  White- 
head Bros   850  00 

Balance  reserved  for  third  payment  on  hose  con- 
tract of  the  Gutta  Percha  and  Kubber  Manufac- 
turing Co   2,000  00 

Three  horses   850  00 

Contract  for  general  supplies   2,283  20 

Contract  for  one  new  second  size  Amoskeag  fire 

engine   4,525  00 

Contract  of  C.  T.  Chester  for  telegraph  poles  and 
material  for  re-arranging  and  perfecting  system 

of  telegraph  lines  '   13,050  00 

Estimated  cost  of  four  4-wheel  hose-tenders  about 

being  contracted  for   2,377  00 

Estimated  expense  for  salary  for  balance  of  year  26,000  00 

"       feed         "             "  1,500  00 

"       shoeing   "             "  450  00 

"                 "       coal  and  wood        "  500  00 

"                "       small  supplies,  etc.  "  2,000  00 

"                "      gas                       "  400  00 

"                "       repairs  to  houses     "  500  00 


$60,127  20 


95 


Contracts  entered  into  by  the  department  during 
the  year  1877 : 

Mr.  John  Harrison  — 
For  feed  for  horses  of  the  department  supplied 

monthly.    Amount  per  month  about  . .    $675  50 

Contract  awarded  January  18,  1877. 

Messrs.  Guy  C.  Hotchkiss,  Field  &  Co.— 

For  general  supplies.    Amount.   2,824  00 

Contract  awarded  February  1,  1877. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Langstroth — 

For  harness  material.    Amount   $295  00 

Contract  awarded  February  1,  1877. 

M.  C.  N.  Cornell— 

For  blank  books  and  stationery.    Amount   499  00 

Contract  awarded  February  1,  1877. 

Messrs.  Gilmartin  Bros. — 
For  repairing    Truck  1  and    Engine  2  house. 

Amount  .  .*   4,550  00 

Contract  awarded  March  21,  1877. 

Mr.  C.  T.  Chester— 

For  telegraph  material.    Amount   4,799  00 

Contract  awarded  April  10,  1877. 

Mr.  M.  T.  Davidson— 

For  engine  lathe.    Amount   312  00 

Contract  awarded  April  11,  1877. 
Mr.  k  M.  Whitingv- 

For  maps,  printing  and  binding.    Amount   1,317  00 

Contract  awarded  April  28,  1877. 

Messrs.  Kelsey  &  Loughlin — 
For  50  tons  of  cannel  coal,  per  ton.    Amount. ...  15  75 

Contract  awarded  June  21,  1877. 

Mr.  C.  W.  Schoeneck— 

For  general  supplies,  Class  No.  1.    Amount   1,321  00 

Contract  awarded  November  14,  1877. 

Messrs.  Guy  C.  Hotchkiss,  Field  &  Co. — 

For  general  supplies,  class  No.  2.    Amount   279  00 

Contract  awarded  November  14,  1877. 

Mr.  N.  Langler — 

For  general  supplies,  class  No.  3.    Amount   688  20 

Contract  awarded  November  14,  1877. 


96 


The  Manchester  Locomotive  Works — 
For  one  Amoskeag  Steam  Fire  Engine.    Amount.      $4,525  00 
Contract  awarded  November  16,  1877. 

Mr.  C.  T.  Chester— 

For  telegraph  materials.    Amount   13,050  00 

Contract  awarded  November  16,  1877. 


Proposals  for  building  4  four-wheeled  hose  tenders  have  been 
received,  the  necessary  authority  of  the  Common  Council  having 
been  obtained,  and  the  probable  amount  to  meet  the  same  will 
be  $2,377.00. 

BUILDING  DEPARTMENT. 

Number  of  applications  for  new  buildings,  for  which  per- 


mits were  granted   1,601 

Of  which  there  were  of  brick   1,057 

Of  which  there  were  of  frame   544 

Number  of  applications  to  alter  buildings   889 

Number  of  permits  granted                                      ...  875 

"        denied   14 

"          applications  to  move  buildings   59 

"          permits  granted                                         .  59 

Violations  reported  and  notices  served. ...    215 

Number  of  notices  complied  with   152 

Extension  of  time  granted     50 

Number  of  cases  given  to  counsel   13 

KEROSENE  BUREAU. 

Number  of  licenses  issued  from  January  1,  1877,  to  De- 
cember 1.  1877  ',.   1,337 

APPARATUS,  EQUIPMENTS,  ETC. 

The  force  at  present  employed  in  the  department  consists  of 
230  officers  and  men. 


The  ordinary  working  force  of  the  department  consists  of  17 
steam  fire  engines  and  5  hook  and  ladder  trucks.  The  reserve 
force  consists  of  4  steam  fire  engines,  1  hook  and  ladder  truck, 
2  double  hose  tenders  and  4  single  hose  tenders.  There  are 
180  lengths  of  hose  in  good  condition  and  544  lengths  in  bad 
condition.  There  are  76  lengths  of  old  condemned  hose 
stationed  in  the  various  factories  and  railroad  depots,  being  held 
subject  to  the  order  of  the  Commissioners,  and  receipts  for  the 
same  filed  in  this  office.    We  have  75  horses. 

During  the  past  }^ear  one  new  engine  house  has  been  built  and 
is  now  ready  for  use ;  the  other  houses  are  all  in  fair  condition. 


97 


The  mechanical  labor  performed  by  members  of  the  depart- 
ment, exclusive  of  work  at  the  repair  shop,  is  as  follows : 

Labor  performed  by  carpenters  from  January  1,  1877,  to  De- 
cember 1, 1877 : 

Repairs  to  the  following  houses  : 

Engines  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  1-1,  15, 
and  16. 

Trucks  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4  and  6. 

Richard  Murphy,  260  days  work. 

Christopher  Leavy,  260  " 

Charles  Norris,  254  ;' 

Total,  774  days  work. 

Labor  performed  by  painters  from  January  1,  1877,  to  Decem- 
ber 1,  1877 : 

Painting  the  following  houses  : 

Engines  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  and 
16. 

Trucks  Nos.  3,  4  and  6,  painting  roofs  of  all  houses ;  glazing 
in  all  engine  and  truck  houses  ;  painting  wheels  and  ladders  at 
repair  shop. 

James  Malone,  243  days  work. 

Charles  Ferris,  241  " 

Thomas  Haley,  241 

Win.  Satterly,  258 

Thomas  Lee,  17 

Total,  1000  days  work. 

Labor  performed  by  caulkers,  from  January  1,  1877,  to  Decem- 
ber 1,1877: 

Caulking  floors  of  the  following  houses  : 

Engines  Nos.  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  15,  16,  17,  and 
18. 

Trucks  Nos.  1,  3,  4  and  6. 
D.  R.  Ketchum,  260  days  work. 
James  Donnelly,  258  " 
Peter  Cartwright,  258  " 
Total,  776  days  work. 

Labor  performed  by  tin  roofer,  from  January  1,  1877,  to  De- 
cember 1,  1677  : 

Repairing  the  following  houses  : 

Engines  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6?  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15.  16, 
and  17. 

13 


98 


Trucks  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4  and  6,  headquarters  and  repair-shop. 
Miles  Campbell,  166  days  work. 

The  total  number  of  fires  and  alarms  from  Januarv  1,  1877,  to 
December  1,  1877,  was  330. 

Of  which  39  were  extinguished  by  3  engines  and  1  truck. 


27  "  2      "  1  " 

35  "  1      "  1  « 

3  "  4      "  L  " 

6  "  5      "  2  « 

1  "  '           6  2  " 

9  "3 

17  "  1  engine. 

10  "  1  truck. 

1  ;<  13  engines  and  4  trucks. 

1  "  9     :'  3  " 


Total  loss  by  fire  during  same  time  estimated  at. .  .fc  $1,107,000 

Estimated  loss  for  year  1876   712,490 

"    1875   874,161 

TELEGRAPH. 

During  the  past  year  considerable  advance  has  been  made  in 
extending  and  remodeling  the  telegraph  system  connected  with 
the  department.  At  present  we  depend  in  part  upon  facilities 
furnished  by  the  Police  Department,  the  operators  at  the  Central 
office  transmitting  all  alarms  over  their  wires,  thus  giving  us 
eighteen  additional  stations  from  which  alarms  can  be  sent.  We 
depend  also,  to  some  extent,  on  private  companies  where  our 
wires  are  placed  on  their  poles ;  and  as  those  companies  so  fre- 
quently change  wires,  or  put  up  additional  ones,  great  trouble  is 
caused  us  in  caring  for  our  own  wires.  Whenever  the  contracts 
made  by  this  department  are  performed,  and  the  new  system  is 
fully  completed  and  in  use,  it  is  expected  that  our  wires  will  be 
found  on  our  own  poles  only,  and  the  inconveniences  and 
dangers  to  which  we  were  heretofore  subject  will  be  entirely 
obviated. 

The  total  number  of  poles  owned  by  this  department   772 

Total  number  of  miles  of  wire   65 

Total  number  of  miles  of  poles  used  by  us  belonging  to 

private  companies   15 

The  department  is  in  good  condition  to  perform  the  duties  re- 
quired of  it,  and  some  suggestions  will  be  made  in  the  annual 
report,  the  adoption  of  which,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Commis- 


99 


sioners,  will  give  increased  efficiency  to  the  working  of  the  de- 
partment, and  afford  corresponding  security  to  life  and  property 
from  the  ravages  of  fire.  In  the  meantime  every  effort  will  be 
made  to  protect  all  interests  affected  with  the  present  appliances 
and  force. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 

DAVID  WILLIAMS, 


President,  etc. 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


SUPERINTENDENT  OF  TRUANT  HOME. 


To  the  Hon.  James  Howell,  Jr.,  Mayor  elect  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  ; 
Sir: 

In  compliance  with  your  order,  I  herewith  trnsmit  the  annual 
report  of  the  Brooklyn  City  Truant  Home  for  the  current  year, 


1877  : 

Kemained  in  institution  January  1,  1877   38 

Since  admitted   144 

Discharged   154 

Eemaining  on  December  21,  1877   28 

Daily  average   64 

Balance  to  credit  of  Truant  Home  fund  from  1876. .  $3,131  39 

Appropriation  for  salaries  and  supplies   16,000  00 


Total  $19,131  39 

Deduct  salaries  to  January,  1878   $4,724  99 

"     gas  bills   657  60 

"     fuel,  to  January,  1876   459  25 

M     supplies    6,028  66 

M     repairs,"  to  January,  1878   2,246  65 

 $14,117  15 


Balance   $5,014  24 


In  addition  to  the  above  amount,  under  the  head  of  supplies 
there  will  probably  pass  to  the  Comptroller's  office  bills  for  furni- 
ture, feathers,  carpets,  and  blacksmith's  bill,  an  additional  sum 
of  about  $338,  which  will  include  all  that  will  be  charged  against 
the  "  Home  "  for  the  present  year. 

There  are  employed  at  present : 


102 


A  superintendent  at  a  yearly  salary  of  $1,200 

A  matron                  "          "    300 

A  physician               "           "    360 

One  teacher               "           "    700 

A  watchman              u          "    500 

A  farmer                  "          "    360 

A  seamstress             "          "     240 

Two  cooks  and  one  laundress  at  $150  each    450 

Two  housemaids  at  $120  each   252 


By  a  resolution  of  the  Common  Council,  bearing  date.  April 
24,  1876,  the  Board  of  Education  was  empowered  to  appoint 
teachers  for  the  school,  and  the  care,  custody  and  management 
of  the  boys  was  vested  in  said  Board.  I  was  ordered  to  be  gov- 
erned by  their  ruling  in  all  things  appertaining  to  the  care  and 
detention  of  said  children,  which  order  I  have  strictly  complied 
with.  I  would  add  that  the  Common  Council  either  gave  too 
much  or  too  little  authority  to  the  Board  of  Education.  That 
Board  did  not  appear  to  take  any  interest  in  the  school  until  ten 
months  after  the  aforesaid  resolution  was  passed,  and  up  to  the 
present  time  they  have  never  established  any  new  rules,  or  given 
the  teacher  any  orders  respecting  the  government  of  the  school. 

The  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Attendance  appears  to  be 
the  only  person  connected  with  the  Board  who  takes  any  interest 
in  the  school.  He  informed  me  that  he  thought  that  the  Board 
of  Education  should  have  entire  control  of  the  institution,  and 
unless  it  was  given  to  them  they  would  not  commit  boys  to  the 
"  Home and  as  the  compulsory  law  gave  them  the  exclusive 
right  to  deal  with  "  truants,"'  they  would  depopulate  the  school 
and  make  it  worthless  to  the  municipal  authorities  of  Brooklyn. 

It  is  evident  that  there  are  no  lesser  number  of  truants  in 
Brooklyn  at  the  present  time  than  there  were  in  1&75. 

Dr.  Schapps  informed  me  that  they  had  fifty  or  sixty  already 
to  commit  as  soon  as  I  complied  with  his  order  to  discharge  all 
boys  who  were  detained  in  the  institution  who  were  committed 
otherwise  than  through  their  officers. 

I  submitted  said  order  to  the  Corporation  Counsel  for  his 
opinion,  and  by  his  order  discharged  the  boys,  since  which  time 
(a  month  ago)  I  have  received  but  four  out  of  the  sixty  boys. 

I  have  no  opinion  to  offer  why  I  have  not  received  the  other 
fifty -six. 

We  have  accommodations  for  fully  one  hundred  boys,  and  the 
cost  of  salaries,  fuel,  gas-light,  and  repairs  would  not  be  any 
greater  with  one  hundred  than  it  is  at  present. 


103 


Our  land  yielded  abundantly  the  present  year.  The  products 
were  2D5  bushels  shelled  corn,  70  bushels  potatoes,  1,300  cab- 
bages, -I  tons  oats,  cut  green  and  cured  for  hay,  besides  turnips, 
beets,  peas,  and  all  other  garden  vegetables. 

We  also  raised  and  slaughtered  562  pounds  of  pork. 

I  should  not  have  asked  the  Board  ot  Estimates  for  an  appro- 
priation of  $16,000  for  the  year  1878  if  it  were  not  so  uncertain 
whether  the  Board  of  Education  would  rill  the  school  or  leave  it 
empty. 

If  I  have  failed  to  make  as  concise  a  report  as  you  anticipated, 
I  hope  you  will  not  attribute  it  to  any  desire  on  my  part  to  with- 
hold all  the  information  which  you  may  require,  but  to  the  fact 
that  I  have  had  but  thirty-six  hours  in  which  to  compile  this 
report. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

J  A  RED  CLARK, 

Superintendent  Truant  Home. 


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